14 MOSTLY MAMMALS 



seems probable, as has been suggested by Mr. R. I. 

 Pocock in an article published a couple of years ago in 

 Nature^ that the white markings belong to two different 

 categories so far as their purpose is concerned. In many 

 of such animals not only is the under-surface of the body 

 white, but there are several white gorgets on the throat 

 and white spots on the side of the face and chin. Now 

 there can be little doubt that such white areas are for the 

 purpose of counteracting the dark shade thrown by the 

 body, and thus rendering the animal much less conspicuous 

 when seen at a distance than would otherwise be the case. 

 That this is the true explanation is rendered practically 

 certain by the circumstance that such white markings, 

 especially the gorgets on the throat, persist in species 

 which, like the Indian nilgai and the American prongbuck, 

 have lost the ancestral stripes and spots. In neither of 

 the two species referred to, it may be well to observe, are 

 the young spotted or striped, and it is therefore only 

 from analogy that we speak of their ancestors being thus 

 coloured; but the nilgai is so closely related to the bush- 

 bucks and kudus that there can be little doubt that the 

 assertion is justifiable. Even, however, if it were not so, 

 the case as regards the purport of the white gorgets and 

 under-parts remains unaltered. It may be added that such 

 white patches can only be effectual where there is plenty 

 of light to throw the shadow ; and this is in accordance 

 with the fact that kudu and chital inhabit less dense 

 forest than sambar. 



Having indicated, then, the special purpose of the white 

 under-parts and throat-markings of deer and antelopes, 

 we may consider the object of the stripes and spots char- 

 acteristic of certain species and groups. All the bushbucks, 

 save the males of one or two species, together with their 



