Poulton's experiments--Special or
local colour adaptations--Imitation of particular objects--How
they have been produced--Special protective colouring of
butterflies--Protective resemblance among marine
animals--Protection by terrifying enemies--Alluring
coloration--The coloration of birds' eggs--Colour as a means of
recognition--Summary of the preceding exposition--Influence of
locality or of climate on colour--Concluding remarks.
Among the numerous applications of the Darwinian theory in the
interpretation of the complex phenomena presented by the organic world,
none have been more successful, or are more interesting, than those
which deal with the colours of animals and plants. To the older school
of naturalists colour was a trivial character, eminently unstable and
untrustworthy in the determination of species; and it appeared to have,
in most cases, no use or meaning to the objects which displayed it. The
bright and often gorgeous coloration of insect, bird, or flower, was
either looked upon as having been created for the enjoyment of mankind,
or as due to unknown and perhaps undiscoverable laws of nature.
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