Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1894-02-28
COLOR OF ANIMALS.


Lecture by Professor POulton of OK.
ford University, EngIand-Some In
terestinE illustrations.
Professor Poulton of Oxford university, |
England. who has the honor of being the |
youngest member of the Royal Academy,
lectured before q large audience in North |
Sheffield hall last evening, his subject
being 1.-THE Color of Animals"
He was introduced by President D wight
with few appropriate words of welcome.
In which he stated that he was in this
country to lecture before the Lowell insti-
tute at Boston. Professor Poulton respond
ed briefly but cordially to the welcome of
the president. He then proceeded at once
to the subject matter of his discourse. He
said inpart:
1.-THE subject We are to consider tonight
is the color of animals in the struggle for
existence. make use of the word color
in q very wide sense, including the shape,
appearance and general attitude of the an
imal and all those characteristics most deep
seated in their system. will follow In
the main the Darwinian theory of natural
selection, and propose to treat OF colors
from the standpoint of theif utility to AMI
mails. They may serve three distinct uses
-concealment from enemies, attack on en-
emies and conceslment by the use of some
foreign object. These three uses are
known by the terms procryptic, anticryptic
and alocryptio."
The remainder of the lecture was illus
trated with magic lantern slidee. The
fret one shown was of the procryptic
class, or that use of color which serves to
conceal the animal from its enemies. 1t
represented a sort of grayish-colored sea
weed that grows in the shallow waters of
parts of the European coast. There is q
fish that greatly resembles this weed and
conceals itself In 1t, placing itself In q
vertical position, SO that the fish looks
like part of weed gently swayed by the
water.
He then showed common English moth
common, bat seldom seen on account OF
| its being 80 well concealed. In this slide
| the moth was shown on q piece of plain
| deal wood. The next slide showed 1t In
| the brown leaves, In which 1t could hardly
| be distinguished from it's environment.
The next slide showed spider which
| had drawn itself up into such q position IL
wood. The spider WAS one described by
| DR.. and Mrs. Peckhsm of Milwaukee, who
he remarked, chad done some excellent
work in observing spiders"
As an example of the alocryptic h
showed species of reddish-brown crst
which was pslstable to fsh and was sough
after and devoured by them. This craft,
crab had covered itself with bits of greer
seaweed save its main arms. This served
to conceal tho crab from the larger fsi
higher up in the water, and its two rel
arms uncovered attract the smaller hsh
which it devours.
Other slides which were thrown upol
the screen illustrative of the subject wer
csterpillars, Brazilian frogs, deep-sea fab
crab which covers itself with sea sne
mones to proteot from its enemies, moth
and butterflies.
He also spoke of animals, such as wasp
aud hornets, which have bright yello,
rings as warning or signal colors; also @
bright yellow and red bands which sppes
on certain species of African snakes.
Professor Poulton during his stay In thi
city ia the guest of Professor Marsh at b
home on Prospect street.