WAENING COLOEATION. 183 



the thick coating of fat of the hog, and the feathers of the 

 Secretary bird, protect these animals from the serious conse- 

 quences of meddling with a poisonous serpent. A protective 

 coloration would be much more useful to the snake, and the 

 very fact that poisonous serpents are generally not unlike their 

 environment is in accord with this opinion. 



■Wamingf Coloration in Amphibia. 



Warning colours are also known among the Amphibia. The 

 brightly coloured frog discovered by Mr. Belt in Nicaragua, 

 was avoided by ducks and other creatures that habitually or 

 occasionally devour frogs. A singular combination of warning 

 and protective coloration has been believed to be shown by 

 the little European Fire-bellied toad {BomUnator igneus) , 

 it is small and inconspicuous, being of a dusky greenish-grey 

 colour upon the back, like many other toads, but the under 

 surface is bright orange red, whence the name of the animal. 

 If annoyed or interfered with in any way the Bomhinator turns 

 upon its back, displaying its brilliantly coloured under parts to 

 the reputed discomfiture of the assailant ; it has, at any rate, 

 been figured in this position. 



Mr. Poulton draws attention to the contrasting colours of 

 the salamander {Salamrmdi-a maculosa), and suggests that it 

 probably possesses some disagreeable attribute. It may be 

 remarked incidentally that both this and the last-mentioned 

 amphibians may be usually seen in the reptile hoi^se at the 

 Zoological Gardens. 



The salamander is black and yellow — a combination of 

 colours so often seen in distasteful or poisonous animals.* 



* In wasps, hornets, certain flies which resemble wasps, the larva of 

 the Cinoabar moth, the Heloderm lizard, a species of sea snake, Magpie 

 moth, etc. 



