The Penn's Grove record., 1884-03-01
Golors In NatuIe e.

Anyone attending a geological garden
or noticing any large collection OF ami
mails is at once struck by the variety of
colors, both of plumage and hide or
skin. Some animals are highly colored;
others have hues sombre and dark.
What is the reason of this? Why are
animals cclored differently What is
the use of any ~coloring? These questions
can only be answered by a consideration
of the habits of the various animals,
the means provided for their obtaining
food, and the weapons they have for
defensel The colOring of animals is,
to a large extent, protective. 1t
enables animals to hide from their
enemies, who would otherwise ex-
tinguish their species; and in other in
stances, where they have means of
defence that warn other animals to
keep away, they are highly colored, so
that other animals are warned to give
them a wide berth. For instance
rats, mice, bats and moles, which seek
for food at night, are dark, of dusky
hues, while in the light Of day they
conceal themselves in their holes. Yet
the polecat, which is a nocturnal
animal, has much white about it, and a
large white tail, which it carries erect;
but the horrible odor it emits makes it
universally dreaded, and it's conspicuous
white tail is a signal Gag to all car
nivorous animals not to attack it; and
they seldom do.
All the bears in the world are either
black or brown except the polar bear,
which is white. So are most of the
animals of the polar region. whitehall
is, about the same color as the now
and ice they inhabit; which similarity
Of coloring is a means of protection
from their enemies, Inasmuch as they
are not SO readily seen. Perhaps the
musk OK, or the musk sheep, which is
of a dark brown color, would seem an
exception, but the habits of the animal
explain this. They are gregarions, live
in fiocks, and this is their means of
protection; hence, if one strays from
the flock, it is necessary that they be of
a dark color, SO that he can see his
comrades at a distance. The raven is
black, yet inhabits the regions of snow
and ice; but he feeds on carrion, and
has no enemies that think his body fit
food. Armed insects are highly colored
such as wasps and bees. Their very
high coloring shows what they are, and
their poison protects them.
Some insects have so very hard a
covering that they are practically In
eatable; these are frequently highly
colored. Others can fly rapidly, and
this is a protection, so they are given a
gaudy cOloring, like the swift. flying
chafer. Butterflies are gayly color
ed, but they are unfit for eating; even
when given to young turkeys, they spit
them out. Insects are often found on
trees and leaves which are the exact
color of the food they seek This is a
protection.
The voice of the tree-toad is heard
before the rain, yet so exactly is he the
color of the limbs on which he lies,
that II is hard to find him. Green
caterpillars feed on green leaves, and
their food serves to hide them from
their enemies. Certain insects called
loopors can stick themselves out rigidly
like sticks, which they so much re-
semble as to be taken for them. Green
and brown caterpillars are greedlly
eaten by birds, and even by frogs, liz
ards and spiders; hence, they generally
feed at night, and during the day
remain motionless upon the leaves or
twIgs the color of themselves. Bright
colored caterpillars are discarded by
birds, and always refused by frogs, liz
ards, and spiders, as if they tasted bad
to them. Parrots that live in the dense
foliage or green trees are invariably
green, and the birds Of ~hlgh-colored
plumage are tropical, where the colors
of the flowers and shrubs are brilliant.
Birds that abound in the region of
deciduous trees are never green, but
brown or olive is the prevailing color.
This tint is least %perceptible among the
leafess trees and bushes which prevail
for the greater portion of the year
when protection is so much needed.
Thare is a butterfly called orange
tipped; when on the wing he is most
conspicuous, but when in the evening
he rests on the wood parsley, he can
scarcely be seen, SO beautifully do his
colors blend with those of the flower
head of the plant. So that, on the
whole, the gorgeous colors or the
sombre shades with which various
animals are adorned, while beautiful
have a use to the animal that is not
mere display, but protection as well.