THE COLORATION OF LARGE ANIMALS 



To the more observant class of sportsmen the stay-at-home 

 naturalist is, of necessity, indebted for most of his infor- 

 mation with regard to the habits of large animals and 

 their adaptation to their inanimate environment. And it 

 must be acknowledged that, in the main, he has but little 

 cause of complaint as to the accuracy, fulness, and abund- 

 ance of the information thus supplied. One subject, and 

 that a very interesting and important one, in connection 

 with large animals in the field, seems, however, to have 

 attracted but a small share of attention on the part of 

 sportsmen and travellers, although it is obvious that what- 

 ever theories and conclusions the naturalist may draw 

 from the study of museum specimens must be put to the 

 test by observations in the field before they can be regarded 

 as of any definite and established value. I refer to the 

 connection between the different types of coloration of the 

 larger animals and their natural surroundings. Apart 

 from casual remarks with regard to the harmony existing 

 between the dappled coloration of a South African giraffe 

 and the splashes of light and shade in the mimosa groves 

 it inhabits, the resemblance presented by a tiger's stripes 

 to the dead grass of the surrounding jungle, and such-like, 

 I can recall scarcely a single observation recorded by 

 sportsmen or travellers which is of any real scientific value 

 in connection with the subject in question. One important 



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