New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-09-07
ANIMAL MIMICRY.
IS THIS INVENTIVE MIND?

ternational Scientific Series Mr.. P0ulton Is
thoroughgoing Darwinian. and part of his book IS
occupied with defence Of DarwnS views on
the subject Of Sexual Selection. as confrovertcd
by A. r. Wallace His chief object, however
has been to demonstrate the utility OF color an"
markings in animals, and he has labored I" snow
that in many cases Natural Selection has sur'ct"
80 account for the results achcved' "hic !"
fewer instances the dominant influence mas peth
that of Sexual Selection, and in SUI smaier
group of examples the changes arc attrinu'ane 10
Isolation or Correlation Of Growth As MI roui-
ton saws in his preface: THE vast majority OF
the examples are taken from insects. ana mecca
almost invariably from single order' 0he I"P
idoptera The examples are. however cn'PioAe"
merely to illustrate principles which are of wide
appication' lie arrangcs his plan OF treatment
under the following heads: Nonsignfrsnt Colors;
Significant Colors. which includes Colors OF
Direct Physiological Value; Protective and AZ
prssivc Resemblance: Protective and Aggressive
Millinery: Warming Colors: Colors displayed IN
('ourtship The examples given are. as ABOVE
minated, mostly from the Lepld"p'cra' nut many
striking illustrations also drawn from hsnes
mammals, birds and reptiles.
The demonstration of the meaning OF color ana
marking is inevitably less difficult than the PROOF
that Natural Selection is accountable for the con-
dtions which exist As Mr. Poulion shre"uN
observes. it is only possible to establish TINS ny all
extended and complex argument: and even wheh
all the available evidence has been introduced
there remain serious difficulties onc OF 'he
stumbling blocks in the way of the Evolutionary
hypothesis is the tendency of too many oil us sup
porters to attribute TO the principle OF Natural
Selection kind of personality: in short. to an
tbropOmorphize that principle. In the same line
of loose thinking is the disposition to ascnhe I"
the conscious voliton of the animals concerned the
genesis progrcss or completion of those modlnca-
tiOns which adapt them more perfectly 10 'cii
environment 1t might thus he concluded 1ha'
some writer's held 10 the theory that The VIII
force of the animals themselves produced the
changes in color, marking. etc, which tend u
protect them from their enemies or assist Them
in the capture of their prey. II is. lnnced ho'
surprising that some confusion should have arisen
over this point inasmuch as the nature OF the
proeesses themselves is as yet extremely obscure
and Misunderstood. Mr.. Poulton gives an Illus
,ra,on which really fails 10 meet any of the great
or difficulties of the subject lie supposes num-
her of slow dogs and slow rabbits introduced to
desert islands and then imagines the development
of speed and cunning which Natural Selection
must bring about in such a case. But here all
that is required is the Improvement and periec-
ton of organs and functions already possessed IN
a more or less rudimentary state: whereas IN the
case of protective resemblances and protective ana
aggressive mimicry. what has 10 he accounted for
is the genesis of entirely new functions. coors ana
markings and the coordination OF these new
productions in definite plan faithfully initiating,
or initiating with sufficient fidelity, the forms,
colors and markings of ahcn species or families
1t is for example, easy enough I" perceive that
in the struggle for existence among butterflies
those among the palatablc species which could
make themselves resemble the unpaatahlc species
would gain great advantages by such Il modiici-
ton But even if ii he assumed that the paIatahl'
butterflies were capable of realizing this truth.
we nearer an understanding oil tn" pro-
ces,cs BY which the change was actually brought
about. There is here gap in the D@rwIlan
argument which seems to suggest the need OF a
physiological bridge. The facts and the infer
enccs connected with the present state OF pro-
tcctve and aggressive colors and markings must
he accepted for the most part. and even in the
case of Sexual Selection the Darw!nlIn eVlienc"
seems stronger than that Mr. Wallacc> side of
The controversy But when these rAplanat ions
of the present condition of things have been adj
mittrd the case is not closed the problem Is not
solved: and the more wonderful the adaptations
the harder it is and must he 10 account for them
on purely physiological principles. Take, Tor
example the case Of one OF those spiders which
initiate the excrcnent of birds 50 exactly Tat IT
is almost impossible for the human eye TO detect
the mmicry. Or take caterpillar. which fixes
itself upon branch in such way as to r'scmbl"
"A twi. or one of those insects OF the inah'ls
family. which is a fac-simile either Of leaf :.
lcaf-stalk or wthercd twig. How did te
imnulse which has finally produced these
metamorphoses originate? What is the extent
OF the change from the primitive form? How
long has il taken to produce that change? How
lss the modifying impulse been made 80 persistent
through innumcrable generations that, once gwen,
H. has never ceased TO operate and apparently
with the same force? In the case of man. We
know that while hcredity may improve the stock
fortuitous circumstances constantly neutrahzr TIE
improving agencies, and often produce ativisni
or degradation. How is il that different law
secms to obtain in the animal Kingdom? These
and similar questions must occur 10 all readers
of Mr. Poulton's book who are not rrcvocably
eommtcd to the hypothesis he uphods.
OF the facts which he brings forward nothing
.aed bc said save that they are full of intcre,
and undoubtedly true. Nothing In the economy
of Nature is more curious and fascinating than
the means of protection and aggression 81 care
fully bestowed upon the least and frailes, OF Nv
inc things No craft Subtlciy or skill IL io'
great 10 he lavisllcd upon the methods OF per
pctnatinC moth or butterfly, a SPIDER or
grub, shrimp or crab, a frog or "A mar"
Nav. the systems of defence and aggression, some
times combined in the same animal or insect, are
often far more complicated and elaborate IN I'M
small than in the larger creatures. Down III th'
ocean depths there are little fishes 50 weak tina
they cannot go hunting in the usual way; Oh
they are provided with something like electro
lights. which. fixed on the end OF long 'ent"cics
danglc before their mouths. and 80 attract o'he
fI,..ir
Jaws Who now will sketch for MS the renesl
Of these submarine lamps will plansby SHOW
lust how the first came to he lighted? II l
perfectly true that it is only the first step tina
costs, but tie finding of the "pon sto has oitcl
proved SO difficult as TO become the despair o
1he most ingenious theorizers 1t is not anal
arous with such case that Of the eye OF IN