Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1874-10-16
COlOratiOn in Insects.

As SOON as the attention is drawn to a
subject so apparently insignificant as
coloration thousand curious facts pre-
sent themselves. The conformity of
tints is the sign of a protection for the
life of the creature; it betrays the con-
ditions of its existence. BY one simple
indication is revealed whole series of
phenomena. In general, night butter
flies are painted modestly in gray and
brown tones, with spots or fine rays of
black. Hanging during the day to the
bark of trees, to stones, and to walls,
they remain almost invisible at very
short distance. Some species are green
ish, or a mixture of gray and green;
these cling in general to trees or rocks
covered with liChens. During their
flight the lchenees (species of nocturnal
butterfly display beautiful tints upon
their wings of bright blue, red, and
orange; but this gaudy ornamentation is
limited to the posterior wings In re-
pose the superior wings, of a uniform
gray, cover the bright colors, and the in
sect, fixed to rock, runs little risk of
discovery by birds in search of food.
Several species of small butterflies take
their rest under green leaves, and at
distance they look like mere spots of
green and gray. The lcpidoptera which
appear in the months of September and
October affect the tints which harmonize
with autumnal vegetation. The appear
ance of dead leaf is found amongst
many of the species, and the name
feujile-mOFte has been given to a large
butterfly with notched wings which is
very common in France. When we come
to the diurnal lepidoptera the rich de-
signs of their wings, the brilliant shades
the sparkling colors fill us with admira-
ton. So much beauty throws an mex
pressible charm over nature. Orna-
mented in a marvellous manner, the but
tertlies exhibit themselves in the bright
ness of day and fascinate us with
their splendOrs, and travellers in tropical
countries eXpatiate with rapture upon
the dazzling brilliancy of some of the
species found in those regions. AT first
we should find it difficult to suppose that
such magnificent creatures could ever
dissimulate by means of coloration, but
there are plenty of examples of this
phenomenon. While flying, diurnal but
tertlies display all their ornamcntation,
but in repose they hide it. The wings
closed above the body show only the
inferior surface, generally colored in
very sober hues. In spring the pretty
butterfly commonly known as the aurora
flies about in our woods. AT a distance
it looks like large orange spot, but
when 1t alights upon an umbelliferous
plant the insect, with the lower surface
of its wings painted white, spotted with
green, seems to form a part of the plant.
The lepidoptera of South America, which
are spoken of as among the most elegant
in the world, have the inferior surface of
the wings painted brown, with rays and
spots of still more somber hues-a
veritable imitation of the fissured bark
of trees, upon which only they are found
clinging. Some nymphales of India,
found also in the islands OF Sunda and
the Moluccas, are ornamented above
with a large band of orange upon a
radiant and magnificent blue. While fly
ing these insects are of course seen u
long distance off, but when they are in
repose no mark whatever excites the
attention. Below, the wings are the
color of ochre, and as the insects usually
cling to dry leaves it is very difficult to
distinguish them. In many butterflies
of hot countries the anterior wings are
pointed, and in those same regions this
is precisely the form of the leaves of Il
great number of trees and shrubs. More
over, when these insects are at rest their
wings show marks of nerves which COM
plete the illusion.-ReDue des De,tr Hondes