158 ANIMAL COLOEATION. 



are both highly conspicuous and easily captured, particularly 

 the second insect, which is frequently met with on the ground^ 

 binder trees, where the larva has no doubt fed up. Neverthe- 

 less both these moths were greedily eaten by Lacerta ocellata, 

 the large South European " Eyed Lizard " ; this lizard, it may 

 be observed, would be quite likely under natural conditions 

 to meet with the two moths ; they live where the lizard lives, 

 and they are constantly met with on the ground. But even if 

 this were not so, no use could be made of the fact. The 



Fig. It).— Leopai-d Mcth. 



theory of " warning coloration " is not based upon particular 

 cases of recognition ; the broad principle which is believed in 

 by the supporters of this theory is that a gaudy and striking 

 .coloration is associated with a nasty taste and with a corre- 

 sponding impression in the minds of animals that these two 

 facts go together. Eeference has been already made to the 

 inedibility of the larva of the Cinnabar moth (Euckel/a 

 Jacobecs) ; a caterpillar was offered to a lizard, Lacerta galloti, 

 which had not been fed for some time previously, and was 

 therefore probably hungry ; it took one without any hesitation, 

 but refused, or rather declined to notice at all, a second. 



