PDF - Wallace Online
PDF - Wallace Online PDF - Wallace Online
42 NATURAL SELECTION into the branches, that until it moves it is absolutely invisible !An allied species (0. concentricus) is found only at Para, on adistinct species of tree, the bark of which it resembles withequal accuracy. Both these insects are abundant, and wemay fairly conclude that the protection they derive from thisstrange concealment is at least one of the causes that enablethe race to nourish.Many of the species of Cicindela, or tiger beetle, willillustrate this mode of protection. Our common Cicindelacampestris frequents grassy banks, and is of a beautiful greencolour, while C. maritima, which is found only on sandy seashores,is of a pale bronzy yellow, so as to be almost invisible.A great number of the species found by myself in the Malayislands are similarly protected. The beautiful Cicindelagloriosa, of a very deep velvety green colour, was only takenupon wet mossy stones in the bed of a mountain stream, whereit was with the greatest difficulty detected. A large brownspecies (C. heros) was found chiefly on dead leaves in forestpaths and one which;was never seen except on the wet mudof salt marshes was of a glossy olive so exactly the colour of themud as only to be distinguished, when the sun shone, by itsshadow ! Where the sandy beach was coralline and nearlywhite, I found a very pale Cicindela wherever it was volcanic;and black, a dark species of the same genus was sure to bemet with.There are in the East small beetles of the family Buprestidaewhich generally rest on the midrib of a leaf, and thenaturalist often hesitates before picking them off, so closelydo they resemble pieces of bird's dung. Kirby and Spencemention the small beetle Onthophilus sulcatus as being likethe seed of an umbelliferous plant; and another, a smallweevil, which is much persecuted by predatory beetles of thegenus Harpalus, is of the exact colour of loamy soil, and wasfound to be particularly abundant in loam pits. Mr. Batesmentions a small beetle (Chlamys pilula) which was undistinguishableby the eye from the dung of caterpillars, whilesome of the Cassidae, from their hemispherical forms and pearlygold colour, resemble glittering dew-drops upon the leaves.A number of our small brown and speckled weevils at theapproach of any object roll off the leaf they are sitting on, at
in PROTECTIVE RESEMBLANCES AMONG ANIMALS 43the same time drawing in their legs and antennae, which fit soperfectly into cavities for their reception that the insectbecomes a mere oval brownish lump, which it is hopeless tolook for among the similarly coloured little stones and earthpellets among which it lies motionless.The distribution of colour in butterflies and moths respectivelyis very instructive from this point of view. Theformer have all their brilliant colouring on the upper surfaceof all four wings, while the under surface is almost alwayssoberly coloured, and often very dark and obscure. Themoths on the contrary have generally their chief colour onthe hind wings only, the upper wings being of dull, sombre,and often imitative tints, and these generally conceal thehind wings when the insects are in repose. This arrangementof the colours is therefore eminently protective, becausethe butterfly always rests with his wings raised so as to concealthe dangerous brilliancy of his upper surface. It isprobable that if we watched their habits sufficiently we shouldfind the under surface of the wings of butterflies very frequentlyimitative and protective. Mr. T. W. Wood haspointed out that the little orange-tip butterfly often rests inthe evening on the green and white flower heads of anumbelliferous plant, the wild 1chervil, and that when observedin this position the beautiful green and white mottling of theunder surface completely assimilates with the flower headsand renders the creature very difficult to be seen. It isprobable that the rich dark colouring of the under side of ourpeacock, tortoiseshell, and red-admiral butterflies answers asimilar purpose.Two curious South American butterflies that always settleon the trunks of trees (Gynecia dirce and Callizona acesta)have the under surface curiously striped and mottled, andwhen viewed obliquely must closely assimilate with the appearanceof the furrowed bark of many kinds of trees. But the mostwonderful and undoubted case of protective resemblance in abutterfly which I have ever seen, is that of the common IndianKallima inachis, and itsMalayan ally, Kallima paralekta.The upper surface of these insects is very striking and showy,as they are of a large size, and are adorned with a broad band1Antlmscus sylvestris.
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in PROTECTIVE RESEMBLANCES AMONG ANIMALS 43the same time drawing in their legs and antennae, which fit soperfectly into cavities for their reception that the insectbecomes a mere oval brownish lump, which it is hopeless tolook for among the similarly coloured little stones and earthpellets among which it lies motionless.The distribution of colour in butterflies and moths respectivelyis very instructive from this point of view. Theformer have all their brilliant colouring on the upper surfaceof all four wings, while the under surface is almost alwayssoberly coloured, and often very dark and obscure. Themoths on the contrary have generally their chief colour onthe hind wings only, the upper wings being of dull, sombre,and often imitative tints, and these generally conceal thehind wings when the insects are in repose. This arrangementof the colours is therefore eminently protective, becausethe butterfly always rests with his wings raised so as to concealthe dangerous brilliancy of his upper surface. It isprobable that if we watched their habits sufficiently we shouldfind the under surface of the wings of butterflies very frequentlyimitative and protective. Mr. T. W. Wood haspointed out that the little orange-tip butterfly often rests inthe evening on the green and white flower heads of anumbelliferous plant, the wild 1chervil, and that when observedin this position the beautiful green and white mottling of theunder surface completely assimilates with the flower headsand renders the creature very difficult to be seen. It isprobable that the rich dark colouring of the under side of ourpeacock, tortoiseshell, and red-admiral butterflies answers asimilar purpose.Two curious South American butterflies that always settleon the trunks of trees (Gynecia dirce and Callizona acesta)have the under surface curiously striped and mottled, andwhen viewed obliquely must closely assimilate with the appearanceof the furrowed bark of many kinds of trees. But the mostwonderful and undoubted case of protective resemblance in abutterfly which I have ever seen, is that of the common IndianKallima inachis, and itsMalayan ally, Kallima paralekta.The upper surface of these insects is very striking and showy,as they are of a large size, and are adorned with a broad band1Antlmscus sylvestris.