Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1884-02-01
COLOR IN ANiiIAlS.
'hy Polar Bear; are White ana Par
rats Green--- Hasps and IIces, Tree.
TOais and Caterpillars-

i'tS 1rfen--- W aSoS ana bceS, Tree
TOais and Catcrpillars-
Any one attending a geological garden
or noticing any large collection Of ami
mails is at once struck by the variety OF
colors, both of the plumage and hide or
skin. Some animals are highly coioretl,
others have hues sombre and dark
What is the reason of this? Why are
animals co.orel differently? What is
the use of any coloring? These
questions can only be answered
iy consideration of the habits
OF the various animals, the means pro-
vided for their obtaining food and the
weapons they have for defense. The
coloring of animals is to a large extent
protective. 1t enables animals to hide
from their enemies, who would other
WISE extinguish their species, and in
other instances, where they have means
of defense that warn other animals to
keep away, they are highly colored, so
that other animals are warned to give
them wide berth. For instance, rats,
mice, bats and moles, which seek for
fool at night are dark, of dusky hues,
while in the light of day they conceal
themselves in their holes. Yet the
skunk, which is nocturnal animal, has
much white about it, and a large white
tail which it rries erect; but the hor-
rible odor it emits makes it universally
dreaded. and its conspicuous white tail
is signal flag to all carniv-
orons animals not to attack it,
Which they seldom do.
All the bears in the world are either
brown or black, except the polar bear
whicli is white. SO are most OF the
animals of the polar region white, that
is, OF the same color as the snow and ice
they inlabit, which similarity of color
ing il means of protection from their
enemies, inasmuch rs they are not so
readily seen. Perhaps the musk OK, or
musk sheep, which is of dark brown
color, would seem an exception, but tho
ha5is of the animals explain this. They
are gregarious, live in focks, and this
is their means of protection: henco. il
one strays away from the flock it is
necessary that they be OF dark color,
SO that he can see his comrades at q
distance. The raven is another in
stance; he 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 rs wasps and bees. Their very
high coloring shows to other animals
what they are, and their poison protects
them. Some insects have so hard q
covering that they are practically m-
eatable. These are frequently highly
color,d. Others can fly rapidly, and
this is protection. so they are given a
gaudy coloring, like the swift-fiying
rosu-chafer. Butterflies are gayly col
ored, but they ore 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 that they seek. This
is protection. The voice Of the tree
toad is heard before the rain, yet 30 ex.
actly is he the color of the limb on
which he lies that it is hard to find
him.
Green caterpillars feed on green
leaves, and their very food serves to hide
them from their enemies. Certain in
sects called loopers can stick them
selves out rigidly like sticks, which
they so much resemble as to be taken
for them. Green and brown caterpl-
lars are greedily eaten by birds, and
even by frogs, lizards and spiders,
hence they generally feed at night, and
during tho day remain motionless on
leaves or twigs of the same color rs
themselves. Bright colored caterpil-
lars, however, are discarded by birds
and always refused by frogs, lizards
and spiders, as if they tasted bad to
them.
Parrots that live in the dense foliage
of green trees are invariably green, and
the birds of high colored plumage are
tropical, where the colors of the flowers
and shrubs are brilliant. Birds that
abound in tho region of deciduous trees
are never green, but brown or olive is
the prevailing color. This tint is least
perceptible among the leaHess trees and
bushes which prevail for the greater
portion of the year, when protection is
so much needed. There is butterfly
callel the orange tipped; when on the
wing he is most conspicuous, but when
in the evening he rests on the wood
p.rsley he can scarcely be seen, 80 beau
tifully do his colors blend with those Of
the fiower-head of the plant So that,
on the whole, the gorgeous colors or
the sombre shades with which variou.
animals are adorned, while beautiful,
have use to the animal that is not
mere display, but protection as well.