THE ZOOLOGIST
No. 687.—September, 1898.
BIOLOGICAL SUGGESTIONS.
ASSIMILATIVE COLOURATION.
By W.L. Distant.
Part I.
Mr. Darwin admits that there are unknown laws of development and variation, and certain direct actions of external conditions, which to some extent modify animal forms; but, so far as yet known, these can only be permanently preserved or increased, when useful, by means of natural selection. We are not now discussing whether this view is strictly correct, or whether there are not probably unknown laws determining the lines of directions in which alone natural selection can profitably and permanently act. There may be such, and the present writer is disposed to think there are such; but these have not been proved to exist.—A.R. Wallace.
We are not enunciating ascertained truths; we are simply recording the results of study.—G.H. Lewes.
Any student of natural history who cares to analyse the vast strides made by his science during the last thirty years must be impressed by the great advance which has taken place in the philosophical conception of the origin of animal colouration.
"Protective resemblance," "mimicry," and "utility markings" are now by-words with every naturalist, whilst some scientific theory has replaced much teleological wonder. Although our new views are in very many cases explanations of old observations, these views have in friends and foes alike created such a host of good observers, who are anxious to support or demolish advanced
