COLORS AND MARKINGS OF ANIMALS 449 



it requires careful examination to distinguish the two kinds. 

 But the viceroy is not inedible. And yet it, too, escapes 

 very largely the attacks of birds because they mistake it 

 for the other. By mimicking in color and pattern the ap- 

 pearance of the inedible monarch it gains a great advantage. 

 Numerous other examples of protective mimicry are known 

 among butterflies, especially tropical ones. 



Other uses of color and markings not yet under- 

 stood. — Protective resemblance and mimicry and warning 

 coloration do not account for the color-markings of all ani- 

 mals, although it is probably true that the most wide-spread 

 use of color in the animal kingdom is for protective resem- 

 blance. For example, the conspicuous white spot on the 

 rabbit's tail is thought by some naturalists to be a means 

 whereby it can be recognized by others of its kind at long 

 distances. Some naturalists believe that the bright colors 

 and conspicuous markings of the male birds are for the 

 purpose of pleasing and attracting the females at mating 

 time. And still other uses have been ascribed to color- 

 markings in various animals. But with all these different 

 explanations there are still many cases for which we can 

 give no satisfactory explanation based on usefulness. There 

 is much yet to be learned about color and pattern in animals. 



Poulton's the "Colors of Animals" is an interesting book on this 

 subject; see also Newbigin's "Color in Nature," and Beddard's 

 "Animal Coloration." 



