REPTILIAN LIVERIES. 14T 



enemies, or advertised their presence to their prey,, 

 were gradually exterminated. In yet other cases,, 

 strangely enough, the development of strangely 

 contrasting colours proved of the greatest 

 benefit to the possessors, in consequence they 

 became yet more conspicuous, and survived on 

 account of this advantage over their more sombre; 

 relatives. It is by these means that the different 

 types of animal coloration of to-day have beeni 

 arrived at. The nature of these types, and the 

 part they play in the Story of Eeptile Life, we- 

 may now proceed to discuss. 



The Eeptiles rank among the most gorgeously 

 coloured of animals, and the several types of 

 coloration which they display may be grouped 

 under three main heads : Resemblance colours ; 

 Warning colours ; and the colours induced by 

 courtship. 



Closely allied as the Eeptiles undoubtedly are. 

 to the birds, yet in the matter of coloration they 

 more nearly resemble the naked amphibia the 

 much despised frogs, and toads and their allies. 

 Among the birds, seasonal changes and sexual 

 differences in coloration are common. Changes 

 according to season are almost unknown among- 

 the Eeptiles, and sexual differences are the excep- 

 tion, not the rule. With the birds, fleeting changes 

 of colour are restricted to naked areas of the 

 skin on the head and neck in some few species ; 

 and even then are rare, the colour being for the 

 most part fixed. The Eeptiles afford numerous 

 examples wherein the most rapid changes of 

 colour, all over the body, take place. The 

 interpretation of this is not far to seek ; it is due 



