SPOTS AND STRIPES IN MAMMALS 37 



With regard to the conspicuous black and white stripes 

 on the cheeks of the badger, and throughout the head and 

 body in the skunks, South African weasel, and Cape polecat, 

 it may perhaps be argued, with some show of reason, 

 that we have an old type of coloration. In the badger 

 this type of coloration is restricted to the face, where it 

 is evidently retained to render the animal inconspicuous 

 among the streaks of light and shadow as it peers out of 

 its burrow. On the other hand, they may have been 

 acquired for this special purpose. In the other forms, 

 all of which are more or less evil-smelling creatures, a 

 conspicuous general coloration is an advantage, as warning 

 off other animals from attacking them in mistake for 

 harmless kinds, and the boldly alternating stripes have 

 accordingly been retained all over the body and rendered 

 as conspicuous as possible. 



I might dilate to almost any extent on the subject of 

 spots and stripes ; but sufficient has been adduced, in this 

 and the preceding article, to indicate the interest attaching 

 to the coloration of mammals, and to show how far we 

 are from understanding what has brought about the 

 present state of things. That uniformly coloured mammals 

 form the climax of colour-evolution in the case of stripes 

 and spots may be pretty safely admitted. It may further 

 be considered probable that longitudinal dark stripes are 

 an old type of coloration in at least some groups, although 

 it does not follow that this will hold good for all, the 

 marsupials being possibly an exception. Transverse stripes 

 cannot, however, be made to accord with Prof Eimer's 

 theory, since not only do they exist in some of the most 

 primitive of all mammals, but they reappear in certain 

 specialised groups where there is no evidence of a pre- 

 vious spotted stage having been passed through. While, 



