COLOURS OF ANIMALS. 



173 



tliat very little need be added here except a few words 

 of general explanation. Protective colours are exceed- 

 ingly prevalent in nature, comprising those of all the 

 white arctic animals, the sandy-coloured desert forms, 

 and the green birds and insects of tropical forests. It 

 also comprises thousands of cases of special resemblance 

 — of birds to the surroundings of their nests, and 

 especially of insects to the bark, leaves, flowers, or soil, 

 on or amid which they dwell. Mammalia, fishes, and 

 reptiles, as well as mollusca and other marine inverte- 

 brates, present similar phenomena ; and the more the 

 habits of animals are investigated, the more numerous 

 are found to be the cases in which their colours tend to 

 conceal them, either from their enemies or from the 

 creatures they prey upon. One of the last-observed and 

 most curious of these protective resemblances has been 

 communicated to me by Sir Charles Dilke. He was 

 shown in Java a pink-coloured Mantis which, when at 

 rest, exactly resembled a pink orchis-flower. The 

 mantis is a carnivorous insect which lies in wait for its 

 prey ; and, by its resemblance to a flower, the insects it 

 feeds on would be actually attracted towards it. This 

 one is said to feed especially on butterflies, so that it 

 is really a living trap, and forms its own bait ! 



All who have observed animals, and especially insects, 

 in their native haunts and attitudes, can understand how 

 it is that an insect which in a cabinet looks exceedingly 

 conspicuous, may yet when alive, in its peculiar attitude 

 of repose and with its habitual surroundings, be per- 

 fectly well concealed. We can hardly ever tell by the 

 mere inspection of an animal, whether its colours are 

 protective or not. No one would imagine the exquisitely 



