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REBECCA L. JOHNSON
MILLBROOK PRESS MINNEAPOLIS
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NOW, HERE, YOU SEE, IT TAKES ALL THE RUNNING
YOU CAN DO, TO KEEP IN THE SAME PLACE.
The Red Queen, Through the Looking-Glass by Lewis Carroll, 1872
I am grateful to the following scientists who took time from their busy schedules to answer
my questions and share their insights and experiences about the marvelous masters
of disguise in this book: Francesca Barbero, Rohan Brooker, Aaron Corcoran, Robert
Jackson, Danielle Klomp, Gustavo Londoo, Simon Pollard, Claire Spottiswoode, Phil
Torres, and Anne Wignall. Where would we be without curious, dedicated people such
as these researchers, who introduce us to the amazing life forms with which we share this
planet? Many, many thanks!
Text copyright 2016 by Rebecca L. Johnson
All rights reserved. International copyright secured. No part of this book may be
reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means
electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwisewithout the prior written
permission of Lerner Publishing Group, Inc., except for the inclusion of brief quotations in
an acknowledged review.
Millbrook Press
A division of Lerner Publishing Group, Inc.
241 First Avenue North
Minneapolis, MN 55401 USA
For reading levels and more information, look up this title at www.lernerbooks.com.
Main body text set in Avenir LT Std 55 Roman 13/20.
Typeface provided by Adobe Systems.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
The Cataloging-in-Publication Data for Masters of Disguise: Amazing Animal Tricksters is
on file at the Library of Congress
ISBN 978-1-5124-0087-8 (LB)
ISBN 978-1-5124-0105-9 (eb PDF)
Manufactured in the United States of America
1 DP 12/31/15
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Introduction
Imagine youre a spy carrying secret
documents.
Youre aboard a train traveling deep into foreign
territory. Enemy agents will be waiting at the station. And
theyll be looking for you.
You adjust your wig and slip on a pair of glasses. As the train
pulls into the station, you wrap a thick scarf around your neck and
chin. The enemy agents are there, as expected. Theyre glancing
back and forth between the disembarking passengers and a photo
theyre clutching. A photo of you.
A tough-looking agent stares right at you. Then his eyes slide
past to the face of the person behind you. You walk on, smiling
secretly to yourself. Your disguise worked!
In books and movies, spies often conceal their identity with
clever costumes, masks, and makeup. But the most amazing
masters of disguise are in nature, not novels.
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Take camouflage. Thats the
ability to hide by blending in with
ones surroundings. Many animals
are so well camouflaged that they
are all but impossible to see in their
natural habitat. And then theres
mimicry, where an animal is disguised
as something elsea rock, a thorn,
a nasty stinging insectand gains
protection or some sort of advantage
as a result.
The masters of disguise youll
meet in this book, however,
take the art of deception to new
heights. They have built on the
basics of camouflage and mimicry
with sounds, scents, movements,
and a host of special skills. These
talented tricksters are able to dupe,
hoodwink, and bamboozle other
animals in absolutely amazing ways.
Can you find the owl in this picture? The colors
and patterns in this owls feathers make them a
near-per fect match to tree bark. The patterns
also break up the outlines of the bird, which
makes spot ting it harder still.
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