The following pages have been written almost entirely from the
historical stand-point. Their principal object has been to give some
account of the impressions produced on the mind of Darwin and his great
compeer Wallace by various difficult problems suggested by the colours
of living nature. In order to render the brief summary of Darwin's
thoughts and opinions on the subject in any way complete, it was found
necessary to say again much that has often been said before. No attempt
has been made to display as a whole the vast contribution of Wallace;
but certain of its features are incidentally revealed in passages quoted
from Darwin's letters. It is assumed that the reader is familiar with
the well-known theories of Protective Resemblance, Warning Colours, and
Mimicry both Batesian and Mullerian. It would have been superfluous to
explain these on the present occasion; for a far more detailed account
than could have been attempted in these pages has recently appeared.
(Poulton, "Essays on Evolution" Oxford, 1908, pages 293-382.) Among the
older records I have made a point of bringing together the principal
observations scattered through the note-books and collections of W.J.
Burchell. These have never hitherto found a place in any memoir dealing
with the significance of the colours of animals.