THE DISGUISES OF INSECTS 191 



somest species of Indian Pieridse, the I^iMas glaucippe, 

 whose upper wings are ornamented above with a large 

 patch of vivid orange-red, is so tinted and mottled on the 

 under side as to resemble a dry leaf; and a strong dark 

 line running through the centre of the wings represents 

 the midrib. This species often rests on the ground, 

 on the banks of streams or on beds of gravel, and de- 

 presses the upper wings so much between the lower ones 

 as to form an outline verj^ similar to that of a leaf; and 

 this is no doubt a great protection to it ; for although so 

 large and showy an insect, it is very plentiful. 



By far the most singular and most perfect disguise I 

 have ever met with in a Lepidopterous insect is that of a 

 common Indian butterfly, Kallima inacMs, and its Malayan 

 ally Kcdlwia 2^ctrcdeJda. I had the satisfaction of observ- 

 ing the habits of the latter in Sumatra, where it is rather 

 plentiful at the end of the dry season. It is a large and 

 showy insect when on the wing, the upper surface being 

 glossed wdth blue and purple, and the fore wings crossed 

 obliquely by a broad band of rich orange. The under 

 surface of the wings is totally different, and is seen at a 

 glance to resemble a dead leaf The hind wings terminate 

 in a little tail, which forms the stalk of the leaf, and from 

 this to the apex is a slightly curved dark brown line 

 representing the midrib. The transverse striae which 

 cross the discoidal cell in many butterflies are here con- 

 tinued so as to form lateral veins, and the usual sub- 

 marginal striae on the hind wings, slightly modified, repre- 

 sent others towards the base of the wing. But it is only 

 when the habits of the insect are observed that the dis- 

 guise becomes manifested in all its perfection (Fig. 47). 

 This butterfly, like many others, has the habit of resting 

 only upon a nearly vertical twig or branch, with the wings 

 closed together so as completely to conceal the upper 

 surface. In this position, the little tail of the hind wings 

 exactly touches the branch, and we now see why it is 

 always curved inwards a little ; for if it were quite straight, 

 it w^ould hang clear of the branch, and thus fail to repre- 

 sent an attached leaf. There is a little scallop or hollow 

 on the margin of the fore wings ab the base, which serves 



