Animals often use two or more of these mechanisms together to produce the colours and effects they need. Animal coloration has been a topic of interest and research in biology for centuries. In the classical era, Aristotle recorded that the octopus was able to change its coloration to match its background, and when it was alarmed. In his 1665 book Micrographia, Robert Hooke describes the ``fantastical'' (structural, not pigment) colours of the Peacock's feathers:
Animals often use two or more of these mechanisms together to produce the colours and effects they need.
nsubj
Number=Plur
animal
Animals
NOUN
NNS
advmod
often
often
ADV
RB
root
Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin
use
use
VERB
VBP
obj
NumForm=Word|NumType=Card
two
two
NUM
CD
cc
or
or
CCONJ
CC
conj
Degree=Cmp
more
more
ADJ
JJR
case
of
of
ADP
IN
det
Number=Plur|PronType=Dem
this
these
DET
DT
nmod
Number=Plur
mechanism
mechanisms
NOUN
NNS
advmod
together
together
ADV
RB
mark
to
to
PART
TO
advcl
VerbForm=Inf
produce
produce
VERB
VB
det
Definite=Def|PronType=Art
the
the
DET
DT
obj
Number=Plur
colour
colours
NOUN
NNS
cc
and
and
CCONJ
CC
conj
Number=Plur
effect
effects
NOUN
NNS
nsubj
Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs
they
they
PRON
PRP
acl:relcl
Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin
need
need
VERB
VBP
punct
.
.
PUNCT
.
Animal coloration has been a topic of interest and research in biology for centuries.
compound
Number=Sing
Animal
Animal
NOUN
NN
nsubj
Number=Sing
coloration
coloration
NOUN
NN
aux
Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin
have
has
AUX
VBZ
cop
Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part
be
been
AUX
VBN
det
Definite=Ind|PronType=Art
a
a
DET
DT
root
Number=Sing
topic
topic
NOUN
NN
case
of
of
ADP
IN
nmod
Number=Sing
interest
interest
NOUN
NN
cc
and
and
CCONJ
CC
conj
Number=Sing
research
research
NOUN
NN
case
in
in
ADP
IN
nmod
Number=Sing
biology
biology
NOUN
NN
case
for
for
ADP
IN
obl
Number=Plur
century
centuries
NOUN
NNS
punct
.
.
PUNCT
.
In the classical era, Aristotle recorded that the octopus was able to change its coloration to match its background, and when it was alarmed.
case
in
In
ADP
IN
det
Definite=Def|PronType=Art
the
the
DET
DT
amod
Degree=Pos
classical
classical
ADJ
JJ
obl
Number=Sing
era
era
NOUN
NN
punct
,
,
PUNCT
,
nsubj
Number=Sing
Aristotle
Aristotle
PROPN
NNP
root
Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin
record
recorded
VERB
VBD
mark
that
that
SCONJ
IN
det
Definite=Def|PronType=Art
the
the
DET
DT
nsubj
Number=Sing
octopus
octopus
NOUN
NN
cop
Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin
be
was
AUX
VBD
ccomp
Degree=Pos
able
able
ADJ
JJ
mark
to
to
PART
TO
xcomp
VerbForm=Inf
change
change
VERB
VB
nmod:poss
Case=Gen|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs
its
its
PRON
PRP$
obj
Number=Sing
coloration
coloration
NOUN
NN
mark
to
to
PART
TO
advcl
VerbForm=Inf
match
match
VERB
VB
nmod:poss
Case=Gen|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs
its
its
PRON
PRP$
obj
Number=Sing
background
background
NOUN
NN
punct
,
,
PUNCT
,
cc
and
and
CCONJ
CC
advmod
PronType=Int
when
when
ADV
WRB
nsubj:pass
Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs
it
it
PRON
PRP
aux:pass
Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin
be
was
AUX
VBD
conj
Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass
alarm
alarmed
VERB
VBN
punct
.
.
PUNCT
.
In his 1665 book Micrographia, Robert Hooke describes the ``fantastical'' (structural, not pigment) colours of the Peacock's feathers:
case
in
In
ADP
IN
nmod:poss
Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs
his
his
PRON
PRP$
compound
NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card
1665
1665
NUM
CD
obl
Number=Sing
book
book
NOUN
NN
appos
Number=Sing
Micrographia
Micrographia
PROPN
NNP
punct
,
,
PUNCT
,
nsubj
Number=Sing
Robert
Robert
PROPN
NNP
flat
Number=Sing
Hooke
Hooke
PROPN
NNP
root
Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin
describe
describes
VERB
VBZ
det
Definite=Def|PronType=Art
the
the
DET
DT
punct
`
`
PUNCT
``
punct
`
`
PUNCT
``
amod
Degree=Pos
fantastical
fantastical
ADJ
JJ
punct
'
'
PUNCT
``
punct
(
(
PUNCT
-LRB-
amod
Degree=Pos
structural
structural
ADJ
JJ
punct
,
,
PUNCT
,
advmod
not
not
PART
RB
conj
Number=Sing
pigment
pigment
NOUN
NN
punct
)
)
PUNCT
-RRB-
obj
Number=Plur
colour
colours
NOUN
NNS
case
of
of
ADP
IN
det
Definite=Def|PronType=Art
the
the
DET
DT
nmod:poss
Number=Sing
Peacock
Peacock
PROPN
NNP
case
's
's
PART
POS
nmod
Number=Plur
feather
feathers
NOUN
NNS
punct
:
:
PUNCT
: