Home › The Color of Animals › The Color of Animals: Elephant

The Color of Animals: Elephant

Every one must have observed that these large caterpillars - as, for instance, that of the small Elephant Hawk-moth (Fig. 10) - have a sort of uncanny poisonous appearance; that they suggest a small thick snake or other evil beast, and the so-called "eyes' do much to increase the deception. Moreover, the segment on which they are placed is swollen, and the insect, when in danger, has the habit of retracting its head and front segments, which gives it an additional resemblance to some small reptile. That small birds are, as a matter The Colors of Animals of fact, afraid of these caterpillars (which, however, I need not say, are in reality altogether harmless), Weissmann has proved by actual experiment. He put one of these caterpillars in a tray in which he was accustomed to place seed for birds. Soon a little flock of sparrows and other small birds assembled to feed as usual. One of them lit on the edge of this tray, and was just going to hop in, when she spied the caterpillar. Immediately she began bobbing her head up and down, but was afraid to go nearer.