COLOR AND PROTECTIVE RESEMBLANCES 



43* 



tion of distastefulness and warning coloration. The little 

 lady-bird beetles are mostly distasteful to birds ; they are 

 brightly and conspicuously marked. Certain little Nica- 

 raguan frogs have a bright livery of red and blue, in strong 



FlG. 164. The larva of the pen-marked sphinx-moth, Sphinx chersis, 

 showing terrifying attitude, (After Comstock.) 



contrast to the dull concealing colors of other frogs in 

 their region. By offering these little blue and red frogs 

 to hens and ducks the naturalist Belt found that they are 

 distasteful to the birds. 



Certain animals which are without special means of 

 defence and are not distasteful are yet so marked or 

 shaped, and so behave as to present a threatening or 

 terrifying appearance. The large green caterpillars of 

 the sphinx-moths, the tomato- and tobacco-worms, are 



