. Timehri. * ;<V,-;. Insect Camouflage. 137 question arises What is the use of these colour patterns ? In answer-ing this question it is necessary to find a real usefulness for this colour-pattern, a usefulness to the colour-bearing animals themselves,—a useful-ness of sufficient importance to account for a so highly specializeddevelopment. Perhaps we can find the explanation in camouflage. Although the majority of insects which we observe are brightlycoloured, one has only to go through any field or pasture and notice thenumber of insects that are disturbed,—insects that were not noticeabl
. Timehri. * ;<V,-;. Insect Camouflage. 137 question arises What is the use of these colour patterns ? In answer-ing this question it is necessary to find a real usefulness for this colour-pattern, a usefulness to the colour-bearing animals themselves,—a useful-ness of sufficient importance to account for a so highly specializeddevelopment. Perhaps we can find the explanation in camouflage. Although the majority of insects which we observe are brightlycoloured, one has only to go through any field or pasture and notice thenumber of insects that are disturbed,—insects that were not noticeable,not because they were hidden but because they were inconspicuous. The most common means of camouflage amongst insects, and the onemost generally employed by man, is the imitation of their surroundings. Protective Resemblance is probably the most primitive form ofdefence practised by insects, and as it is at present the form usuallyadopted, we may presume it is the most successful. Protective resem-blances may be g
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1880, bookids3, booksubjectagriculture
