ORGANIC EVOLUTION.
Remarks relating to Mimicry.—I am obliged to Mr. C.T. Rope for informing me (p. 85) of the likelihood of black Ducks throwing white feathers; in the case of the drake and two ducks under my observation the drake alone did this. The nesting Fowl certainly does not hiss as clearly as a Duck; nevertheless it makes a puffing sound of the same nature, and apparently made in just the same way. It would be indeed a triumph of mimicry for an animal not only to feign death, but also the appearance of the decay which usually supervenes. In the case mentioned by Mr. Rope—that of Bombinator igneus—the shrinking might perhaps be caused by an effort towards smallness rather than the appearance of decay; otherwise a batrachian might be capable of mimicking its own skeleton, which is hardly likely. Unconscious mimicry, apparently due to sexual relations, is a common feature in wedded couples, who notoriously tend to resemble each other in facial expression, if not in feature, after many years of cohabitation. This may be consequent upon developed similarity of thought, or something else. Some cynics would deny that it was due to mutual affectiou.—Charles A. Witchell.
