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fragile forms. Their appearance would be assisted and improved by a 

 pattern on their surface conveying an idea of the quality in which they 

 are deficient. 



To enable us to pursue our comparison, we will suppose the spotted 

 pattern to suggest the idea of lightness and flexibility ; we should 

 expect to find it more frequently on productions having the opposite 

 qualities. 



If our suppositions be correct, the pattern of the zebra should impart 

 to the animal an appearance of strength beyond that which the mere 

 outline of the animal, without the pattern, would indicate. Similarly, 

 the spotted pattern of the fallow-deer should give an impression of 

 lightness and agility. The tiger should appear a stronger, and the 

 panther a more agile, animal than if their patterns were inter- 

 changed. 



Do we, however, find that nature more frequently adorns her weaker 

 and more fragile productions with a banded pattern, and such as are 

 robust and stout, with spots ? I fear the answer to this question can 

 hardly be given in a very decided manner. Purely banded or purely 

 spotted pattei'ns are not so common as those of a mixed character. 

 And whilst we regard the qualities of strength and lightness as likely 

 to be represented in the colour patterns of natural productions, these 

 are only two out of very many qualities equally likely to have their 

 symbols in nature's adornments ; and thus may be produced complica- 

 tions of patterns materially affecting the possibility of obtaining a 

 direct answer to our enquiry in the present state of our acquaintance 

 with the subject. 



The question, then, before us is, do we in nature find spotted patterns, 

 where the idea of lightness is required, and banded patterns where an 

 impression of strength is desired ? 



It is manifest that in birds any pattern conveying the idea of great 

 weight and solidity would be inappropriate. Our ideas of beauty in a 

 bird are connected with its buoyancy and adaptation to cleave its passage 

 swiftly through the air. Birds are accoi'dingly seldom barred or banded, 

 but are almost invariably more or less spotted ; a pattern imparting to 

 them the appearance of that quality which we esteem most excellent in 

 a bird. The bars or bands which are not found in the body of the bird 

 do appear frequently on the wings, and still more frequently on the tail. 

 These portions are so manifestly thin and light, that they might be 

 deficient in the appearance of strength, which is accordingly imparted 

 by the banded pattern. 



The colour patterns on shells are on the whole favourable to the 

 correctness of our supposition. The genera, distinguished for lightness. 



