THE MIMICEY AND DECEPTION OBSEEVED 

 AMONG THE LOWER ANIMALS. 



At the evening meeting of the Zoological Society, 

 November 15, 1870, Dr. Murie read a paper upon the 

 " Anatomy of the Manatee," and pointed out its remark- 

 able form and its resemblance to other aquatic mammalia ; 

 in some respects it is after the fashion of the porpoise. 

 In calling attention to this subject, it may be said that the 

 porpoise is a sham iish, or only a disguised mammal, 

 having assumed the form and general colouring of a fish, 

 and thus disguised he is enabled to swim and pass his 

 time among the finny tribes, preying upon them with im- 

 punity. This is doubtless the fact, for no other form is 

 better adapted to answer the purpose of the rapid motion 

 required to capture the active and swift-swimming fishes 

 upon which the porpoise is destined to live. We have an 

 indication of the fish-like form in the otters and seals, and 

 in some of the latter the arrangement of the colour, the 

 dark back and white belly ; but in the porpoise we have 

 the external resemblance to the fish most complete, even 

 to the dorsal fin. 



Much has been written upon the subject of mimicry. 

 Mr. Alfred Wallace, Mr. Bates, and others have called 

 attention to the close resemblance of insects to leaves, 

 sticks, and other inanimate and animate things ; of one 

 family of birds appearing to belong to another family ; and 



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