CONSPICUOUS COLOUR 37 



the upper surface of its wings, or the under 

 ones. No general statement, therefore, can be 

 made of its coloration, but its upper and 

 under surfaces must be separately labelled. 

 Further, it is readily conceived that additional 

 knowledge of its habits might necessitate 

 qualifications of these labellings : for instance, 

 the black might prove to be a signal to 

 enemies, and the red bar a social signal. 



Here, however, colour must be considered 

 only in so far as it is purposely conspicuous, and 

 especially with regard to signals to enemies. 



Signals to enemies are of two kinds only : 

 (a) in order to repel enemies ; (6) in order to 

 attract enemies. 



Examples of repelling conspicuous colouring 

 (conspicuous colouring associated with un- 

 palatableness) are afforded by animals which 

 have warning coloration : it is unnecessary to 

 give examples, but it may be mentioned that, 

 in the opinion of many, protection is not 

 obtained, in the vast majority of these cases, 

 by an association in the minds of predatory 

 animals, of unpleasantness with a particular 

 species ; but with a particular class of animals, 

 coloured similarly. 



For instance, a bird will pass by a black 

 beetle, not because it has tasted that particular 



