LURE OF COLOUR

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 1, Issue 130, 25 January 1932, Page 6

LURE OF COLOUR

HOLDS ATTRACTION FOR NfiARLY ALL ANIMALS. Scarcely two people have quite the same colour sense, although there is a very general consensus of opinion as to the relative value of the eomponent parts of the speetrUm (writes E. G. Boulenger, in the Daily Telegraph). Emotions, affections, ahd antipathies are associated With the same tints the world over. Black is universally coupled with death, white with virginity, red with violence, and yellow with depression or jealousy. . To a more limited extent this holds good with the so-called lower animals. The colour s which we so much admire in many animals must to a certain extent arouse similar pleasure in their owners, where such colours are purely of an ornamental nature. There can be little doubt that the vivid tints of many ,'male birds and beasts giV(e pleasure to the females. Colour may likewise excite the appetite. The fascination red flannel has for many fish, amphibians, and crustaceans is well known. An experienced fiy fisherman studies the flies in evidence about the stream and copies them, since even a crude effort often proves more deadly than the ready-made flies of the shops, which, however perfect in finish, are quite valueless when not in colour. It has been found amongst the inhabitants of the zoo's reptile house that many of the vegetarian lizards favour deep yellow or orange, whilst amongst the carnivorous inhabitants — lizards as well as snakes — a white mouse, rat, rabhit, or pigeon is preferred to one of a grey, brown or black hue. Warning Colours. Yividly contrasted combinations of black and yellow and red and yellow are usually considered "warning" colours, and scores of examples might be quoted ' to justify the assertion. The coral snakes of Central and Tropical South Am,erica are known hy over twenty species, and nearly all show vivid markings of red, black, and yellow in rings. It is asserted that this conspicuous colouring serves as a "hands off" notice to all and sundry, since many of the species are deadly poisonous. Some snakes, however, with similar patterns, and living in the same localities, are quite harmless, and their close similarity with some of the most lethal kinds has not only proved a baffling problem to expert herpetologists, but has been the cause of Innumerable fatalities among the uninitiated . The brain power of insects is of the most elementary order, and yet the preference they have for certain colours is very marked. In none is it' more so than in the mosquito. During the war, when this insect was as great a menace to our Eastern troops as were the enemies' guns, a long series of experiments was conducted on these" insects at Christ's. College, Cambridge. In-a large gauze tin many pastehoard hoxes without lids were piled up, each box being lined with a different colour. In all seventeen colours were used. The average number of mosquitoes found in the navy blue box was well over 100, against ab'out fifty that favoured the scarlet, black, or slate grey ones. Very few indeed were attracted by white, pale green, light blue, or violet. In the yellow hoxes no mosquitoes were found at all. These experiments show that white has other advantages than that of resisting the sun's rays, and that dark colours should never be employed in mosquito-infested areas, save as traps.