WARNING COLORATION. 157 



Earthworms are creatures that are generally acceptable to 



insectivorous birds ; but there are three exceptions, which are 



remarkable for different reasons. A gigantic species, reaching 



to a length of six feet or more, which 1 described some years 



ago,* from the Cape Colony, appears to be free from the attacks 



of many animals. Mr. De Witt Meulen informed me that no 



domestic animal whatever, including fowls, will touch them. 



This instance may be used by those who are disposed to believe 



in the theory of warning coloration, for the worm is very 



conspicuous — dark green above and reddish-yellow below. 



Another exception is an equally large species from Australia, 



whose habits and structure have been recently well described 



by Prof. Baldwin Spencer: j this species is not conspicuously 



coloured, but it has a powerful odour resembling that of creosote. 



Fowls refuse to touch this worm living or dead. There is little 



doubt that in this case the powerful smell acts as a deterrent. 



More remarkable still is the fact that our common earth worms| 



are refused by the Guinea fowl {Numida mitrata) and by the 



blue tit and Great Spotted woodpecker ; no less than three 



Guinea fowls declined to taste the worms, which are certainly 



eaten by the common fowl. The comparatively large size may 



perhaps have deterred the blue tit. The woodpecker seemed 



afraid of it, only pecking at it once and rapidly recoiling when 



it wriggled. 



The Tiger moth and the Leopard moth are particularly 

 referred to by Mr. Poulton § as being inedible forms. They 



♦ Trans. Zool. Soc, vol xii. (1886), p. 68. 



t Trans. Roy. Soc. Victoria, vol. i., Pt. I. 



J One of the most conspicuous of our British worms is the Brandling 

 {Allolohophora fmtida), found upon dunghills ; it is conspicuously ringed 

 ■with dark brown and yellow. Dr. Stradling has told me that it was eaten 

 by several lizards kept by him, but that it caused them " epileptiform fits." 



§ " Colours of Animals," p. 175. 



