1902.] SPIDERS FROM BORNEO AND SINGAPORE. 253 



mimics which came under my observation — namely,a sphingidlarva 

 mimicking a snake, a noctuid larva mimicking an ant, a moth 

 mimicking a plant-bug — deserve, however, further notice and are 

 here described at length. 



i. Mimic. Lai-va of Choerocampa myclon (Walk.). 

 Model. A Snake, e. g. Dendrophis picta (Gm.). 



I must confess that I have always hitherto regarded as somewhat 

 fanciful those recorded cases of lepidopterous larvae mimicking 

 snakes and other vertebrate animals, though experiments have 

 shown that the resemblances, even when imperfect, serve to 

 rouse respectful curiosity, if not actual terror, in prospective 

 enemies. I was therefore singularly delighted to secure a larva 

 whose resemblance to a snake was so startlingly accurate that I 

 was for a moment completely deceived. 



The general colour was a dark olive-brown, becoming lighter 

 anteriorly : the head, the first and second and the dorsal surface 

 of the third and fourth segments were pinkish ; at the junction 

 of the third and fourth segments on each side was an ocellus, not 

 a huge black disc, out of all proportion to the mimicked head, as 

 in all the recorded similar examples, but of very nearly the exact 

 size of the eye in such a snake as Dendrojjhis picta : the lower 

 border of this was margined with bright gold (the colour of the 

 iris in many snakes), giving an upward look and a most malevolent 

 cast to the countenance ; the black of the ocellus was so intense 

 and glossy that an idea of depth was given, and it was difficult to 

 believe that one was not looking through a cornea into a pupil. 

 Running through the ocellus on each side was a broad black 

 stripe exactly as in Dendrophis picta, while a wrinkled fold on 

 each side of the lower half of the second, third, and fourth 

 segments gave an admirable impression of the division between 

 the upper and lower jaws of a snake. ISTot the least remarkable 

 of these extraordinary devices was the flatness of the area bounded 

 by the two " eye-stripes " on the dorsal surface of the third and 

 fourth segments ; this area together with the first and second 

 segments were pink, reticulated with fine brown lines and strokes, 

 giving an impression of the scutes on a snake's head ; they were 

 particularly well-marked on the first and second segments, being 

 there more distant and distinct, and looking extremely like the 

 divisions between internasal and praefrontal shields. 



When the larva was moving about with the anterior segments 

 weU expanded, the resemblance to a snake was not so startling, 

 but directly it was touched the tei-rifying attitude was assumed, 

 the anterior segments being drawn in and the front of the body 

 turned towards the aggressor ; when, at the same time, the 

 posterior part of the body was hidden by leaves the deception 

 became complete, and if effective enough to deceive, even 

 temporarily, a human being, it must surely be equally effective 

 in deterring less highly oi'ganized and more timid foes. 



