110 THE COLOUES OF ANIMALS 



CHAPTEE VIII 



VARIABLE PROTECTIVE RESEMBLANCE IN 

 INSECTS 



No insect is known to possess the power of rapidly 

 adjusting its colour to the tints of its surroundings, 

 and it has not long been known that any power of 

 adjustment exists. There is still a great deal to be 

 done in finding out the extent to which the power is 

 present, and in further investigating the physiological 

 processes which are involved in its operation. Up to 

 the present time the Lepidoptera (butterflies and 

 moths) alone have been made the subjects of in- 

 quiry, and we know nothing of other insects in this 

 respect. 



Many caterpillars and chrysalides have been proved 

 to be capable of adjusting their colours to those of the 

 surroundings, and it is also known that certain cater- 

 pillars can construct cocoons of different colours, so 

 as to harmonise with the environment. The latter 

 extremely interesting example of Variable Protective 

 Resemblance has been very insufficiently investigated. 

 It is also probable that a relatively small number of per- 

 fect insects possess the same power ; but in this case 



