June, 1897.] 
Webster : On Protective Mimicry. 
67 
THE PROTECTIVE VALUE OF ACTION, VOLI¬ 
TIONAL OR OTHERWISE, IN “PROTECTIVE 
MIMICRY.”* . 
By F. M. Webster. 
Whatever in the form, color or actions of an organism tends to en¬ 
able it to escape from its enemies, or more readily secure a proper supply 
of food, is, to a certain extent, protective in its effects. Forms, not in 
possession of such advantages, will, in case of an unusual abundance of 
enemies, or a deficit m the supply of food, be the least likely to survive 
In this paper it is the intention of the author to discuss only such cases 
of protective mimicry” as require some special movements, or the 
assumption of some peculiar or unique position, on the part of the pro¬ 
tected form, in order to continue or complete the deceptive effects of 
its shape, color or coloration. 
There are a number of insects that, prepared and placed in our cab¬ 
inets, have comparatively little resemblance to each other, while in the 
midst of life and activity, are distinguishable from each other only with 
extreme difficulty. An example may be found in Podosesia syringe 
Harr., which somewhat resembles Polistes annularis Fabr., in form, while 
its movements are almost an exact reproduction of those of the latter spe- 
cies, w 1C is an armed wasp, while the former is a helpless moth. The 
varying Hare, Lefusamericanus uirginianus Harlan, no doubt derives 
more or less protection from the color of its fur, but this protection does 
not appear to be supplemented by any correlative action on the part of 
Many naturalists object to the use of the term “protective mim¬ 
icry for the reason that it implies mental capabilities supposed to be 
con ne to the human race. The statement is made, and by those 
w ose opinion is worthy of the greatest respect and most careful con¬ 
sideration, that the influences of natural selection are amply sufficient to 
account for all such phenomena, and that we do not need to assume the 
presence of volition as a factor in such phenomena. In some quarters 
the initial step, m an investigation of the phenomenon of “ protective 
mimicry, is to close the door, so to speak, against any possibility of 
e most primitive kind of intelligence, on the part of the mimicing 
species, while to admit that a mimicing insect has any conception of its 
ownappearance, is the m ost dangerous sort of heresy. Now there are 
* Read before the Ohio State Academy of Science, December 30, 1896! 
