Animal coloration : an account of the principal facts and theories relating to the colours and markings of animals / by Frank E. Beddard.

  • Frank Evers Beddard
Date:
1895
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Animal coloration : an account of the principal facts and theories relating to the colours and markings of animals / by Frank E. Beddard. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    cannot be set down to isolation, and the females of the sombre species have every opportunity, did they desire it, of selecting the brightly coloured males and abandoning their lawful spouses. The question, however, cannot either stand or fall upon its jDrobability or improbability. Actual observation can alone ■settle the matter. ^Esthetic Sense of Butterflies. The case is clearly put by Mr. Scudder “ That butterflies have some perception of colour in mass is unquestionable. It has often been remarked that a white butterfly alights by preference upon white flowers, yellow butterflies upon yellow flowers. Direct observations have shown that this vague opinion is founded clearly upon fact, and several instances which show this, and at the same time show the lack of power of perception of form have been published. Thus, Christy observed in Manitoba one of the Swallow-tails fluttering over the bushes, evidently in search of flowers. As I watched it,’ he says, ‘ it settled momentarily, and exactly as if it had mistaken it for a vellow flower, on a twig of Betula glandulosa bearing withered leaves of a light-yellow colour.’ Albert Muller records seeing the blue Alexis of Europe fly rapidly towards a very small bit of pale blue paper lying upon the grass, and stop within an inch or two as if to settle, doubt- less mistaking it for another of its own kind. Plateau has observed Agloe urticce [the small Tortoiseshell] of Europe fly rapidly towards a white Calla, which could offer it no sweets. And Jenner Weir has noticed how the white butterflies settled on the variegated leaves in his garden.” o o These facts are a long way from proving so highly developed an msthetic sense as sexual selection renders necessary ; they