PREFACE 



IN the brief sketches that follow I find occasion 

 repeatedly to attack the prevalent theories of 

 protective colouration, because it is impossible 

 for the naturalist who uses his eyes to accept 

 these theories. 



Most of these hypotheses were advanced by field 

 naturalists, but they have since been elaborated by 

 cabinet zoologists and have become a creed. Now, 

 Huxley remarked with truth, " Science commits suicide 

 when it adopts a creed." With equal truth he asserted, 

 " ' Authorities,' ' disciples,' and ' schools ' are the 

 curse of science and do more to interfere with the 

 work of the scientific spirit than all its enemies." 



In England zoology is at present in the hands of 

 ' schools ' and ' authorities ' of the kind to which 

 Huxley objected. 



The result is that where, in some of my previous 

 books, I have exposed the shallowness of the prevalent 

 theories, I have been taken to task by certain reviewers 

 who are disciples of those ' authorities.' These 

 gentlemen term my criticisms superficial, but they 

 have made no attempt to show in what way my 



