CHAPTER VI 



ADAPTIVE COLORATION 



Protective Resemblance. Every naturalist knows of 

 many animals that tend to escape detection by resembling their 

 surroundings. This phenomenon of protective resemblance 

 is richly exemplified by insects, among which one of the most 

 remarkable cases is furnished by the Kallima butterflies, espe- 

 cially K. inachis of India and K. parakleta of the Malay Archi- 

 pelago. The former species (Fig. 239) is conspicuous when 



FIG. 239. 



Kallima inachis; A, upper surface; B, with wings closed, showing resemblance to a 



leaf, x i. 



on the wing; its bright colors, however, are confined to the 

 upper surfaces of the wings, and when these are folded to- 

 gether, as in repose, the insect resembles to perfection one of 

 the dead leaves among which it is accustomed to hide. The 

 form, size and color of the leaf are accurately reproduced, the 

 petiole being simulated by the tails of the wings. Two paral- 

 lel shades, one light and one dark, represent, respectively, 



216 



