234 ENTOMOLOGY 



such as the basal red touches in the normal Pierines, an elabo- 

 rate and practically perfect mimetic pattern may be evolved 

 therefrom by simple and easy stages." 



Furthermore (in answer to the second question), it does not 

 tax the imagination to admit that any one of these color pat- 

 terns has at least occasionally been sufficiently suggestive 

 of the heliconid type to preserve the life of its possessor ; espe- 

 cially when both bird and insect were on the wing and perhaps 

 some distance apart, when even a momentary flash of red or 

 yellow from a pierid might be enough to save it from attack. 



It is highly desirable, of course, that this plausible explana- 

 tion should be tested as far as possible by observations in the 

 field and by experiments as well. 



Adaptive Colors in General. Several classes of adaptive 

 colors have been discriminated and defined by Poulton, whose 

 classification, necessarily somewhat arbitrary but nevertheless 

 very useful, is given below, in its abridged form. 



I. APATETIC COLORS. Colors resembling some part of the en- 

 vironment or the appearance of another species. 



A. CRYPTIC COLORS. Protective and Aggressive Resemblances. 



1. 'Procryptic colors. Protective Resemblances. Conceal- 



ment as a protection against enemies. Example : Kal- 

 lima butterfly. 



2. Anticryptic colors. Aggressive Resemblances. Conceal- 



ment in order to facilitate attack. Example: Mantids 

 with leaf-like appendages. 



B. PSEUDOSEMATIC COLORS. False warning and signalling colors. 



1. Pseudaposematic colors. Protective Mimicry. Example : 



Bee-like fly. 



2. Pseudepisetnatic colors. Aggressive Mimicry and Allur- 



ing Coloration. Examples: Volucella, resembling bees 

 (Fig. 246) ; Flower-like mantid. 

 II. SEMATIC COLORS. Warning and Signalling Colors. 



1. Aposetnatic colors. Warning Colors. Examples : Gaudy 



colors of stinging insects. 



2. Episematic colors. Recognition Markings. 



III. EPIGAMIC COLORS. Colors Displayed in Courtship. 



Such of these classes as have not already been discussed 

 need brief reference. 



