BUTTERFLIES 65 



It has been objected that this is going too far ; 

 that the proper appreciation of the colours and tints 

 of butterflies, birds, or flowers requires considerable 

 training and a distinct intellectual effort on our 

 part, and that it is absurd to suppose that what we 

 ourselves only do imperfectly and with difficulty a 

 butterfly can do just as well and without effort. 

 But I do not think we ought to reject an explanation 

 just because it happens not to be particularly 

 flattering to ourselves. In the case of flowers it 

 has been conclusively shown that their colours, mark- 

 ings and odours are developed to attract insects 

 bees, beetles, and butterflies to visit them and so 

 fertilise them ; in other words, to advertise them- 

 selves. The colours of flowers are as beautiful and 

 as varied as those of butterflies. And if, as it is 

 acknowledged, butterflies and birds understand and 

 appreciate the differences between the colours of 

 gay flowers, and if those colours are developed 

 simply to attract them, why deny them the power 

 of appreciating similar colours in themselves and 

 in one another ? Again, the appreciation of colour 

 in ourselves has greatly developed ; for if we study 

 the history of painting and compare the oldest 

 pictures, whether oil or water colour, with more 

 recent ones we note a distinct development in 

 the power of appreciating the full effect of colour, 

 or what is known as the colour sense. 



Protective Colours. So far we have considered 

 the colours of the upper surface only. With regard 

 to the colours of the under surface the case is 

 different; here the colours are protective, and butter- 



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