The work contains his views as clearly as I could express them, though on every page I feel they suffer from want of amplification. But I feared the work might become the expression of my own thoughts, though want of leisure would probably have prevented that unhappy result. Now it is finished, I would fain write it all over again, for methinks between the lines can be seen gleams of brighter light. SYDNEY B. J. SKERTCHLY. CARSHALTON, _July 17th, 1886_. The coloured illustrations were drawn by Mrs. Skertchly chiefly from nature, and very carefully printed by Messrs. Alabaster, Passmore, and Sons. [Illustration] CONTENTS. CHAPTER PAGE I. INTRODUCTORY 1 II. INHERITED MEMORY 8 III. INTRODUCTORY SKETCH 16 IV. COLOUR, ITS NATURE AND RECOGNITION 25 V. THE COLOUR SENSE 32 VI. SPOTS AND STRIPES 39 VII. COLOURATION IN THE INVERTEBRATA 49 VIII. DETAILS OF PROTOZOA 56 IX. DETAILS OF COELENTERATA 59 X. THE COLOURATION OF INSECTS 68 XI. THE COLOURATION OF INSECTS 75 XII. ARACHNIDA 82 XIII. COLOURATION OF INVERTEBRATA 85 XIV. COLOURATION OF VERTEBRATA 88 XV. THE COLOURATION OF PLANTS 95 XVI. CONCLUSIONS 97 LIST OF WOODCUTS. Fig. 1. Part of Secondary Feather of Argus Pheasant. Fig. 2. Ditto Wing-feather of ditto. Fig. 3. Diagram of Butterfly's Wing. Fig. 4. Python. Fig. 5. Tiger's Skin. Fig. 6. Ditto. Fig. 7. Tiger's Head, side view. Fig. 8. Ditto, crown. Fig. 9. Leopard's Skin. Fig. 10. Ditto. Fig. 11. Leopard's Head, side view. Fig. 12. Ditto, crown. Fig. 13. Lynx' Skin. Fig. 14. Ditto. Fig. 15. Ocelot. Fig. 16. Badger. Fig. 17. Begonia Leaf. DESCRIPTION OF PLATES. PLATE I. _Kallima Inachus_, the Indian Leaf Butterfly. _p._ 28. Fig. 1. With wings expanded. Fig. 2. Two Butterflies at rest, showing their exact resemblance to dead leaves. This insect affords one of the best examples of protective resemblance.