41 
appeavance. Take the genus Hlaphnis, foi‘ instance. This is a genus 
of ground beetles with a metallic brassy appearance, and they are 
always found in the hot sunshine running on the muddy banks of 
ponds and streams. It would seem at first sight as if a brassy insect 
running in the sunshine would he a conspicuous object to any insec¬ 
tivorous animal or bird in the vicinity, but this is not so; in fact, it is 
just the reverse, as the colour harmonises so well with the shiny 
appearance of the wet mud that it is by no means easy to sec, and in 
addition it runs so fast that it is extremely difficult to follow its 
movements, whereas, had the species been a black one, all its motions 
would be distinctly visible. Another point is that, were the insect to 
run over the mud while the sun was obscured l)y clouds, the brassy 
colour would then make it fairly conspicuous, and the advantage of the 
brassy colour in the sunshine would be counteracted by the exposure 
of the insect during dull weather, but, as all coleopterists know, the 
insect hides away and does not rc-appear until the sun is shining. 
This same coloration in connection with similar habits is found in 
several other species of British ground beetles, as in the genus 
Dj/acliiriKs and J}(’iiibi<liii)ii. In this last group tlie species are nearly 
all found in wet, marshy places, running about in tlie sunshine, and it 
is astounding how fcAV of the genus are really black. Again, in some 
species, by simply possessing a polished surface, the insect may look 
so unlike anything edible that it has only to sham death and it is per¬ 
fectly safe. I refer more particularly to our Tlisters, which are as 
unlike anything living as one could well imagine. 
There is, however, one of our British members of the genus 
Sa])riniis, one of the Lli^teridac, which is of a l)right green metallic 
colour, and has been found feeding on the larvic of Phavdon vucldeariae, 
a Phytophagous beetle to which it hears a superficial resemblance. It 
can bo seen in one of the show cases at Boutli Kensington, and is 
quoted as a case of protective mimicry, which it certainly appears to 
be. But I must confess the case, on being looked into, is by no means 
so clear as it might appear at first sight. To start with, the species 
has been taken in dung, so it does not look as if it Avere exclusively a 
larA’al feeder, and I haA'e shoAvn that the llititcridac are quite protected 
by their appearance Avhen black, so that the green colour seems to be 
unnecessary. It cannot be of any advantage to mimic /'. cochlcariae 
as far as fear of this insect is concerned, as /'. cochlcariae does not 
look after its OAvn progeny, and eA'en if it did it certainly could not 
damage Haprinm in any A\'ay. The only solution that at present 
appears probable is that Phacdon may very probably be distasteful to 
birds, and that it is an advantage to mimic this distastefulness rather 
than have to be continually shamming death at a moment’s notice. 
One can imagine the disgust of a Saprimi.'^ Avho has found a fine fat larva 
of /'. cochlcariae at having to drop off the plant at a moment’s notice 
Avithout having made a mental note of the spot for future reference. 
Next to the black coloration the commonest method amongst our 
indigenous Coleoptera is that of representing inanimate objects, and 
this is seen most commonly amongst our British Aveevils, in Avhich Ave 
have Avhole groups, of Avhich nearly every species Avhen shamming 
death look like a little hit of dirt or mud, .such as Cciithorhunchiis, 
(.'cathorhiinchidias, IlhinoncKs, and many others. This result is pro¬ 
duced either by an entirely black colour or else by irregular patches of 
Avhite scales on a black, grey, or brown ground. 
