TIIK MKANINT. AND TSK <M' THE CoLol lI AND I'OH.M ol' INSFCTS. 21 
THE MEANING AND USE OF THE COLOUU AND lOliM 
OF INSECTS * 
By Mr. H. L. T. Blake, F.K.H.S. 
[Delivered February 28, 181)9.] 
We have heard a great deal lately of the dulness of country life and of 
the monotonous existence of those living in country villages, and it has 
been urged on that account that many are flocking from the country to 
the towns. Now, I have lived both in London and in the country, and 1 
must say that I mucli prefer the latter. In London all the amusements 
are made for one — they are purely artificial — but in the country a man 
must have his own resources and must make amusements for himself ; 
and I think that this is best effected by taking a personal interest in one's 
surroundings and by studying the many wonderful works of nature which 
those in London have no opportunity of doing. I am therefore going to 
ask you to take a walk, as it w^ere, with me to-day through your gardens 
and orchards to see whether w^e cannot find something that will not only 
be interesting, but also instructive to us, as horticulturists. And I would 
invite you to help me in finding the several caterpillars and other insects 
that may be doing mischief to our fruit trees and other plants. At the 
same time I shall point out to you how it is that in many instances we are 
unable to detect these caterpillars. It is not because they are not there ; 
the mutilated leaves are evidence that they must exist in hundreds ; but 
the fact is that many of these caterpillars have the power of assuming the 
colour of the leaves on which they feed, or the colour and form of the 
twigs on which they rest, so as to make it extremely difficult to detect 
them. 
For the sake of convenience I propose to divide my lecture into seven 
divisions, viz. — 
(1) The uses and meaning of colour in insects. 
(2) Protective resemblance. 
(3) Aggressive resemblance. 
(4) Protective mimicry. 
(5) Aggressive mimicry. 
(6) Warning colours. 
(7) The combination of the different methods of defence which 
some insects possess. 
The principal " use " of colour is either to assist an insect in escaping 
from its enemies or to assist it in capturing its prey. The former is called 
"protective " and the latter " aggressive " resemblance. 
Mimicry is where one insect which is palatable mimics another insect 
w^hich is unpalatable, either for the purpose of obtaining an advantage 
or for the purpose of injuring its prey ; and this likewise divides itself 
into " protective " and " aggressive " mimicry. 
Warning colours are assumed by those insects which are unpalatable 
* The lecturer in commencing desired to acknowledge his very great indebtedness 
to Professor Poulton's work. 
