THE COLORATION OF BUTTERFLY LARV.E. 67 



coloration of its near ally, Hamadryas io of Europe." We are 

 inclined to consider the coloration of the larvae of this group to belong, 

 on the whole, to a warning type, the spines helping in the purpose of 

 protection, whilst the gregarious habit adopted by many species no 

 doubt intensifies the gain obtained by these in other directions. Yet the 

 markings of the true Argynnid larvae are, in no wise, as here assumed 

 by Scudder, to be so certainly grouped with those of the Vanessids, for 

 they are assuredly, in some species at least, of an entirely different 

 character, those of the Melitaeids coming much nearer to those of the 

 Vanessids in general coloration, markings, etc. Scudder himself sees 

 this and observes (op. cit., p. 1144) that "the larvae of the Argynnids, 

 which conceal themselves upon the ground, are almost black, and can 

 hardly be distinguished except when in motion"; but one doubts even 

 here whether cryptic coloration in these could not be brought nearer to 

 our senses if we were more conversant with the wild habits of some of 

 these larvae, especially those that live solitarily, e.g., Chapman writes 

 (Ent., xxxviii., p. 73) on the cryptic form and colouring of Melitaea 

 larvae, observing that " the larvae of Melitaea cinxia and M. athalia, 

 when fullgrown, are usually very conspicuous, still it often strikes 

 one that, obvious as they are when one looks for them — -i.e., if they are 

 not hidden away — one may easily pass by without seeing them, even 

 though looking where they are, if not thinking of them. These larvae 

 considerably resemble the heads of Plantago, but this is still more the 

 case with that of M. didyma, whose yellow and brown markings make 

 it very like a plantain-head, with yellow stamens and brown scales." 

 We have already noted that certain brightly coloured butterfly 

 larvae are supposed to have a "warning" coloration, and to obtain 

 a measure of protection from their offensive properties, and have 

 instanced Papilio machaon as one of such (antea, p. 62), but such 

 larvae also often gain by their general resemblance to their surroundings 

 as a whole, and Scudder observes that the conclusion that many of these 

 bright larvae gain their protection largely from their unpalatable 

 nature is not altogether acceptable, and he says that "it is a little 

 perplexing when one examines the large, naked, and exposed larvae of 

 the American Papilionids, e.g., Laertias philenor, its black body with 

 projecting orange points set off vividly against the dark green of the 

 Aristolochia, or the gay bodies of Iphiclides ajax and Papilio polyxenes, 

 with their transverse stripes of brilliant orange, green and black, to assert 

 that these are warning colours given to show the inedibility of the 

 larva, possibly indicated also by the nauseous odour of the osmateria, 

 when, in Jasoniades glaucus and Kuplioeades troilus, with the same 

 osmateria, we have protective colours of no mean importance. They 

 may, however, be explained as protective, at least in part, for the 

 larvae of Laertias conceal themselves beneath the broad leaves of Aristo- 

 lochia, so as not readily to be found but for the marks of their presence 

 in their droppings, and, although one finds it difficult to look upon the 

 colours of Papilio polyxenes (the more striking of the other two 

 mentioned) as in any sense protective, it is nevertheless true, as 

 pointed out by Poulton, with regard to the similarly coloured larva of 

 P. machaon, that the protection afforded by the colouring of these 

 insects is 'very real when the larva is on the plant,' and can hardly be 

 appreciated at all when the two are apart." To us, the point made by 

 Poulton appeals strongly. Conspicuous as the larvae of Papilio 



