DECEPTIVE COLOUR. 49 



flight is conspicuous ; it flies along- and suddenly settles with wings 



FIG. 69. 



The Hooded Grasshopper, which combines protection due to the hard sharp hood with 

 cryptic and deceptive colouring. 



folded, exactly resembling a dead leaf ; the suddenness with which the 

 bright colours of the upper surface vanish is extremely deceptive and 

 makes it very difficult to distinguish the butterfly. Grasshoppers have 

 the same colouring, the lower wings being often brilliant and very notice- 

 able when the insect flies ; it then suddenly settles with folded wings 

 and the colours exactly blend with the dry grass ; it is impossible to 

 see where it is and we may conjecture that a bird is also deceived. 

 This is a common scheme of colour and is usually shown by the upper 

 wings being cryptic, the lower very bright and conspicuous. Moths, 

 grasshoppers and other cryptically coloured insects are the best instances. 



Many butterflies have 

 beautiful, diverse colour- 

 ing, which does not fall 

 into any of the above 

 schemes. Some have 

 very conspicuous marks 

 on the hind angle of the 

 wings or on the front 

 wings ; these are sup- 

 posed to mislead a bird 

 which attempts to seize 

 them, the bird snatch- 

 ing at the conspicuous 

 spot on the wing and so 



EIG. 70. 



A Sutterfy with eye spots to deceive birds. 



B 



