PKOTECTIVE RESEMBLANCES DIMORPHISM, ETC. 55 



latter acts as a disguise when it is most necessary, for 

 the butterfly to be concealed. It appears that the 

 Malayan species (Kallima paralekta) is more cautious 

 during the brief pauses between the flights ; for Mr. 

 Wallace states that it frequents dry woods and thickets, 

 and that it invariably settles on bushes with dry or 

 dead leaves. He never saw one of these butterflies 

 settle upon a flower or green leaf. 



A recent paper by Mr. .S. B. J. Skertchly ! en- 

 tirely supports Mr. Wallace's statements. The author 

 calls attention to the fact that leaf-mimicking butter- 

 flies, of several genera in addition to Kallima, settle 

 in an entirely different manner from that of other 

 butterflies. While the latter gradually slacken their 

 speed and settle deliberately, the leaf butterflies ' fly 

 rapidly along, as if late for an appointment, suddenly 

 pitch, close their wings, and become leaves. It is 

 generally done so rapidly that the insect seems to 

 vanish.' 



Certain English moths are also protected by their 

 resemblance to dead leaves. One of the most beautiful 

 examples is afforded by the Herald Moth (Gonoptera 

 libatrix), which suggests the appearance of a decayed 

 red leaf sprinkled with a few white spots of fungoid 

 growth ; the irregularly toothed margin of the wings 

 adds to the effect. The bright eyes of the moth might 

 expose the deception, but they are covered during 

 rest by a tuft of hair which springs from the base of 



1 Ann. and Mag. Nat. Hist. Sept. 1889, pp. 209 et seg. 



