1887.] VALUK OF COLOUR AND MARKINGS IN INSECTS. 



207 



conspicuous when apjjiouc/ied and detected. 



Experiments. 



J. Jenner Weir. 



E. B. Poulton. 



Refused by Lizards. 



Eaten atone time b}' 

 nearly all Lizards 

 freely ; at another 

 seized without sus- 

 picion, but aban- 

 doned by L. mu- 

 ralis, although a 

 very hungry one 

 was seen to eat 

 the larva, which it 

 evidently disliked. 



Mr. Butler tells me 

 that these larva 

 were supplied to 

 the young of the 

 Great Tit by the 

 parent birds. On 

 the other hand, 

 Rev. G. J. Burch 

 tells me that chick- 

 ens pecked at the 

 larva, but rejected 

 them, and that the 

 hen warned them 

 against such food. 



How far e\idence 



supports 



Wallace's suggestion. 



Complete support. It would 

 have been very interesting to 

 have also experimented with 

 the Lizards. 



It would be interesting to also 

 try Birds and other smaller 

 Lizards. This exijeriment 

 alone opposes suggestion. 



Support ; for the unpleasant 

 qualities certainly produced 

 efi'ect in some cases. 



Support, from the behaviour of 

 the Lizards and from Mr. 

 Burch's observation. 



How far evidence 



suj)ports 



Poultun's suggestion. 



Complete support. The work- 

 ing of a counter principle is 

 well seen — the uncertainty of 

 the birds, their evidently 

 half-detecting suspicion, and 

 finally the trial which soon 

 proves the imposition ; all 

 this shows the danger ot reli- 

 ance on such a mode of de- 

 fence. 



Support, if it be found that the 

 appearance is really terrifying 

 to enemies, and yet that the 

 Lizard ate the larva through 

 hunger. 



Strong support from the beha- 

 viour of tlie Lizard, which 

 ate the larva reluctantly, 

 although disliking it, because 

 it was hungry. 



It is probable that they would 

 have been eaten, like the 

 Crcesus, if the Lizards had 

 been very hungry. Mr. But- 

 ler's birds appeared to relish 

 the larvae. 



15* 



