STRAY NOTES ON MIMICRY. 35 



the steep bank, so that the bird was not in a very comfortable 

 posture. The Thrush does not habitually turn its breast toward 

 an observer, and in this case the reason for the behaviour of the 

 bird hardly needs arguing. I was certainly not more than twelve 

 feet from it. 



With regard to physical mimicry generally, I would suggest 

 (at the risk of ridicule) that there may be some occult influence 

 causing animals to resemble things that they like, be those things 

 mates or surrounding substances. I am aware that the sexual 

 passion is not credited with this effect, but we know that breeders 

 of prize poultry are careful to keep their male birds from running 

 with birds not of the same variety, because if they do they will 

 " throw" feathers like those of their companions. I have seen 

 this occur in a well-bred East Indian drake that ran with a white 

 Duck, and in a Black Hamburgh that ran with other fowls. 



I have also noticed some curious evidence among people. A 

 man who went to a colony early in life, and had control of many 

 people of colour, and who would not be likely to be particular, 

 afterwards married an exceedingly good-looking and quite strong 

 Englishwoman. The first child, a son, was very like a black in 

 all except colour, and yet he resembled his father. The next 

 child had only a faint trace of the same odd resemblance, and the 

 younger children were distinctly handsome. One has quite a 

 reputation for good looks. 



I am aware that this suggestion is not scientific, but if a bird 

 throws unusual feathers after having shown a partiality for a 

 strange bird, why should it not throw an unusual feather when it 

 finds that a certain tree or a stone saves it from a Hawk ? The 

 dread of an enemy is a more constant sentiment than the love for 

 a mate. 



The so-called feigning of death seems to me to have no 

 relation to mimicry, but to an exaggeration of that stillness which 

 so many animals adopt to avoid observation. This stillness may 

 often be seen to be directly proportionate to the imminence of the 

 danger threatened. I used to witness a very clear demonstration 

 of this in the Stickleback (Gasterosteus leiurus). When suddenly 

 alarmed these fishes held themselves curved, the more readily to 

 dart away ; but they seemed unable to remain in this position long, 

 and yet they would then retreat not by a slow movement, but by 



B'2 



