Mimicry Among Animals 



and had on each side a large black pupillated 

 spot, which resembled the eye of the reptile. 

 Moreover, it resembled a poisonous viper, not a 

 harmless species of snake, as was proved by 

 the imitation of keeled scales on the crow;: 

 produced by the recumbent feet, as the cater- 

 pillar threw itself backward ! 



The attitudes of many of the tropical spiders 

 are most extraordinary and deceptive, but little 

 attention has been paid to them. They often 

 mimic other insects, and some, Mr. Bates assures 

 us, are exactly like flower buds, and take their 

 station in the axils of leaves, where they remain 

 motionless waiting for their prey. 



I have now completed a brief, and necessarily 

 very imperfect, survey of the various ways in 

 which the external form and colouring of ani- 

 mals is adapted to be useful to them, either 

 by concealing them from their enemies or from 

 the creatures they prey upon. It has, I hope, 

 been shown that the subject is one of much 

 interest, both as regard a true comprehension 

 of the place each animal fills in the economy 

 of nature, and the means by which it is enabled 

 to maintain that place; and also as teaching us 

 how important a part is played by the minutest 

 details in the structure of animals, and how 

 complicated and delicate is the equilibrium of 

 the organic world. 



My exposition of the subject having been 

 necessarily somewhat lengthy and full of details, 

 it will be as well to recapitulate its main points. 

 95 



