| OCR Text |
Show 1887.] VALUE or COLOUR AND MARKINGS IN INSECTS. 207 ipicuous when approached and detected. eriments. . Jenner Weir. E. B. Poulton. • fused by Lizards. Eaten at one time by nearly all Lizards freely; at another seized without suspicion, but abandoned by L. muralis, although a very hungry one was seen to eat the larva, which it evidently disliked. Mr. Butler tells me that these larvae were supplied to the young of the Great Tit by the parent birds. On the other hand, Eev. G. J. Burch tells m e that chickens pecked at the larvse, but rejected them, and that the hen warned them against such food. H o w far evidence supports Wallace's suggestion. Complete support. It would have been very interesting to have also experimented with the Lizards. It would be interesting to also try Birds and other smaller Lizards. This experiment alone opposes suggestion. Support; for the unpleasant qualities certainly produced effect in some cases. Support, from the behaviour of the Lizards and from Mr. Burch's observation. H o w far evidence supports Poulton's suggestion. Complete support. The working of a counter principle is well seen-the uncertainty of the birds, their evidently half-detecting suspicion, and finally the trial which soon proves the imposition; all this shows the danger ot reliance on such a mode-of defence. Support, if it be found that the appearance is really terrifying to enemies, and yet that the Lizard ate the larva through hunger. Strong support from the behaviour of the Lizard, which ate the larva reluctantly, although disliking it, because it was hungry. It is probable that they would have been eaten, like the Croesus, if the Lizards had been very hungry. Mr. Butler's birds appeared to relish the larvae. \Fi* |
