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

  • Beddard Frank E. (Frank Evers), 1858-1925.
Date:
1892
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.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh. The original may be consulted at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh.

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    of the plieuomeua would liave to be sought for. The theory is mainly supported by instances among Lepidoptera, which is, no doubt, due to the fact that it was in this group that the phenomena were first studied. From certain points of view it is unfortunate for the theory that this is the case: Le])idoptera are, as a rnle, very short-lived in the imago state. If cases of undoubted mimicry could be shown to be more numerous among the higher and longer-lived animals than they have yet been, they would furnish much stronger evidence for the truth of the theory. A, mammal which may have to exist for some years before it can reproduce its kind needs protection much more than an insect, which sometimes pairs the moment it leaves the cocoon. There are even cases on record of male moths waiting by the unojiened cocoon in ex])ectation of the emergence of the female. Relative Unimportance of the Imago Stage in Butterflies. It may seem paradoxical to say that the perfect butterfly, which has ]passed through so many preparatory stages, is the least important stage of all. In a certain sense also it would be manifestly untrue, for the butterfly lays the eggs, and upon the life of one female insect depends the future existence of perhaps a large number of butterflies. There is no doubt that a single butterfly deposits, under favourable circumstances, a great quantity of eggs,—from two to five hundred, according to the species, is one estimate,—but it is also calculated that out of these eggs only 1 per cent, reach maturity : if that is so, the life of an average female butterfly is only worth tliree or four times that of a caterpillar. As long as the perfect insect is able to pair and lay its eggs, that is all that is necessary ; after this its life is of no value, and it is immaterial whether it is destroyed or lives on for a
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