| OCR Text |
Show 1887.] VALUE OF COLOUR AND MARKINGS IN INSECTS. 199 Conspicuous Larva. Experiments. A. Weismann, using Lacerta viridis. Refused by L. viridis. Eaten at once by L. viridis. Neither examined nor touched by L. viridis. E. B. Poulton, using three species of Lizards and Hyla. Eaten freely by Lacerta mur alis. Not offered to others. How far support given to Wallace's suggestion, that brilliant and conspicuous larvse would be refused by some at least of their enemies. Strong support. Strong support. Support from behaviour of birds; shows that a larva may be disliked by one insect-eating Vertebrate and not by another. Strong support. A difficulty, especially as also " sea-gulls and terns devour them in numbers" (Newman). Strong support. How far support given to Poulton's suggestion, that a limit to the success of this method of defence would result from the hunger which the success itself tends to produce. No evidence, for other food was not withheld. No evidence, for other food was not withheld. No evidence, as above, from birds; of course the suggestion cannot apply to Lacerta mur alis, which eat the larva freely. No evidence. The correlation of a startling appearance with some unpleasant attribute must probably have existed once if not now. Have we a case in which hunger or opportunity have caused the enemies to neglect the latter, and therefore to benefit by the former ? No evidence. |
