. Nature . V- \/l -l;; S.,l„l , but ,.d in fullaled by the want of pattern. were transparent. This is well illustrated by thediagram shown in Fig. 6, where the smaller patternof the highest part of the bird is seen against thereceding, and therefore to the eye diminished, detailsof the background. Mr. Thaver discriminates sharplv between all suchobliterative coloration depending on countershadingcombined with background picturincr, and mimicry, ortlie simulation of a solid object. He truly points out NO. 2139, VOL. 84] October 27, 1910] NATURE 533
. Nature . V- \/l -l;; S.,l„l , but ,.d in fullaled by the want of pattern. were transparent. This is well illustrated by thediagram shown in Fig. 6, where the smaller patternof the highest part of the bird is seen against thereceding, and therefore to the eye diminished, detailsof the background. Mr. Thaver discriminates sharplv between all suchobliterative coloration depending on countershadingcombined with background picturincr, and mimicry, ortlie simulation of a solid object. He truly points out NO. 2139, VOL. 84] October 27, 1910] NATURE 533 that the goal of the first principle is invisibility, ofthe second deceptive 7isibility. The latter principleis open to unlimited variations of method and result,whereas the former ... is in its main essentialsstrictly limited. There are innumerable kinds of solid. possessing a patlern like tliat of the backfjiounti. objects for animals to simulate in appearance, butthere is only one way to make a solid object in anatural lighting- cease to appear to exist (p. 25). The use of the term mimicry to indicate thesecond category, although common, is to bedeprecated. It is inconvenient to apply thesame term to the resemblance of a moth to awasp, and that of a caterpillar to a twig. Thewasp-like moth is always spoken of as ane.\ample of mimicry; and the term imitatiimmav be conveniently used in a technical sen^.to include the twig-like caterpillar and all tinother innumerable of special protec-tive resemblance. The important of cryptic resemblances, which now establishes more thoroughly andcorrectly than before, may be appropriatelyexpressed by the use of the terms (i) oblitera-iive or afihaniatic coloration, and (2) imitativeor cikonic resemblance. No fewer than sixteen out of the twenty-seven chapters of the book a
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