COMMON ZEBRA OR BONTE-QUAGGA 685 



tion; that is, Its coloration reveals it far more often than it 

 conceals it. It is less conspicuous than the wildebeest, 

 sable, or topi; about as conspicuous as the hartebeest; and 

 much more conspicuous than the eland, oryx, roan, Grant 

 gazelle, or Thomson gazelle. When coming to water it is, 

 of course, in motion, never attempts to hide or slink, and is 

 always and under all circumstances conspicuous to every 

 beast of prey in the neighborhood. After drinking it imme- 

 diately returns to the open country, where it can be seen 

 at once even by dull eyes. When standing or lying down 

 under acacia-trees at noon it shows up as above indicated 

 — more conspicuously than an eland or oryx, less so than a 

 wildebeest. The stripes, when they can be seen at all, have 

 an advertising effect; this is especially true of the broad 

 rump stripes which advertise the animal at a distance at 

 which the big Grevy zebra seems gray like an ass. At a 

 distance the zebra is apt to look white or black, according 

 as the sun strikes it, and then gray. Even while standing 

 still under a thorn-tree, in the puzzling lights and shadows 

 which tend to conceal any animal of any color, the zebra 

 frequently whisks its tail, which at once attracts attention. 

 All game animals with long tails are continually twitching 

 or swinging them, and this motion catches the eye at once, 

 even at a distance at which the coloration would neither con- 

 ceal nor reveal the wearer. The only time we ever saw 

 zebras helped by any concealing quality of their coloration 

 was once when we found a few standing in partially burnt 

 grass; the infrequent black or yellow stalks harmonized well 

 with their coats, and made it difficult to see them. 



At nightfall all animals become hard to see, of course; 

 and in thick darkness all are alike invisible. In dusk, in 



