328 Studies in the Theory of Descent. 



ferred to the others as a secondary character. In 

 Chcerocampa this transference is chiefly backwards, 

 n Deilephila invariably forwards. 



We have now to inquire whether complete 

 eye-spots such as those of the Chczrocampa 

 larvae have any significance at all, and whether 

 they are of biological importance. It is clear at 

 starting, that these spots do not belong to that 

 class of markings which make their possessors 

 more difficult of detection ; they have rather the 

 opposite effect. 



We might thus be disposed to class ocellated 

 caterpillars with those " brightly coloured " species 

 which, like the Heliconince and Danaina among 

 butterflies, possess a disgusting taste, and which 

 to a certain extent bear the signal of their distaste- 

 fulness in their brilliant colours. But even if I 

 had not found by experiment that our native 

 Chcerocampa larvae were devoured by birds and 

 lizards, and that they are not therefore distasteful 

 to these insect persecutors, from the circumstance 

 that these caterpillars are all protectively coloured, 

 it could have been inferred that they do not belong 

 to this category. It has been found that all 

 adaptively coloured caterpillars are eaten, and one 

 and the same species cannot possibly be at the 

 same time inconspicuously (adaptively) and con- 

 spicuously coloured ; the one condition excludes 

 the other. 



What other significance can eye-spots possess 



