The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1902-05-03

into the situation. The performance of
the fly originates in consideration of
| self-preservation. Professor Poulton
showed that this interested imitation
| does not stop even at copying the brown
and hairy coat The toothsome insect
actually apes the antics Of the singing
| insect, and notably in the matter of leg
action. Be it known that in the cool Of
! the evening, if you go up to tease the
| particular bee he as like as not will
disdain to fly away, but will waggle a
| pair of legs at you in a menacing man
F., ner eloquent of anger. Under similar
provocatlon this little fly will do the
same, the better to convey an errone-
Gus idea that he is a bee and armed
with sting. One fault in the imita-
ton is worthy to be noted The bee
does not use his front pair of legs for
this alarming demonstration. The fly
does, and this circumstance is easy to
account for. While all the legs of a fly
are equally useful for walking with, the
front hair have got In the way of per-
forming little extra duties. We have
all seen flies washing their faces with
the front pair, which have also
iAittl hUo AuCllily WHtli lttCIiCd LII
rapidly curling and uncurling round one
another at the extrenitles-a perfor-
nance which is probably directed to
some other end than the promotion of
circulation. Thus these forerunners
were, by reason of their superior flexi-
bility, singled out for this part Of the
strange business of fooling birds and
other insect eaters.
There are tasty beetles that pretend
to be wasps, and plenty of nourishing
flies that try and palm themselves off
as unsavory ants. There is even a spi-
der that assumes the appearance of an
ant. At first sight it would seem that
the possession of eight legs would be
bar to the disguise, but the ingenuity
Of nature, working through the princi-
pie Of selection is capable Of what one
is tempted to describe as daring solu-
lions of difficult problems. When occa-
sion requires, up go the front pair of
legs as counterfeit antennae. Some Of
our readers will be familiar with the
quaint appearance of the caterpillar Of
the lobster moth-which to the ordina-
ry eye is two-thirds caterpillar and
one-third something else. The bulky
appendage called by politeness tail
really seems, so far as unity of design
is concerned, to have no relation to
what goes before. And now note the
explanation with which a. distinguished
Russian naturalist has staggered the
chronological world A fact patent to
all observers is that the caterpillar of
the lobster moth, when menaced by
danger, will swing his tail over on to
his back, and hold up his forelegs
straight and duivering. Why he should
behave thus has long been mystery,
for to the scientific mind it never
seemed sut1icnent explanation that
the creature perchance aspired, by this
appalling contortion, to fill his enemy's
heart with paralyzing terror. The dis
tinguished Russian one day bethought
him of the strong resemblance the ca
terpillar's tail bears to a certain plant
bug that Is repugnant to insect-eaters.
When one comes to think Of it, how
simple the matter seems The cater
pillars extended, quivering forelegs of
course complete the liknesss by fgur-
ing as the bugs antennae. Is 1t likely
a bird would swallow a caterpillar that
has an unpalatabIe plant-bug glued to
its back?
Instances might be multiplied. One
South American fly which happens to
be first-class eating goes about under
a shield fashioned in the appearance of
a highly indigestible ant, the creature
having a parallel in those pantomime
performers who walk enveloped in the
canvas and plaster guise of monsters.
AS for butterflies, there are, as Profess
sor Poulton pointed out, vast advertis |
ing communities among them.-London |
Daily News.