COLORATION 59 



wild theory indeed to suppose that the old males need 

 recognition marks, while the female and young males do 

 not; and not one fact has been advanced in support of the 

 theory. All the facts are the other way. A waterbuck or 

 kob will recognize a hornless cow or a horned bull of the 

 same species with equal facility, and at a distance such 

 that the horns cannot be distinctly seen. A tenth species 

 mentioned by Mr. Wallace, the hartebeest, has horns in 

 both sexes; but they are relatively short, whereas this 

 particular antelope is of extraordinary shape and can be 

 recognized by its shape alone at such a distance that the 

 horns cannot be made out at all. It does not seem wise to 

 advance such a theory as this concerning antelope horns as 

 recognition marks when no observed fact supports it and 

 many observed facts are inconsistent with it. 



As regards the conspicuous face and rump markings there 

 is room for argument. We do not, however, believe that 

 these markings serve any purpose of recognition for sexual 

 purposes. Cases of melanism and albinism are well known 

 in many animals, often appearing only in certain localities. 

 White deer and white waterbuck are not infrequent. In 

 every case the animal seems to associate with others of its 

 kind precisely as if it were normally colored ; and if a female 

 it will frequently be found with a young one, usually of the 

 ordinary color. Black and brown bear cubs, black-maned 

 and light-maned lion cubs are found in the same litter. 

 Where such startling color patterns as are implied in being 

 white all over or black all over totally fail to confuse indi- 

 viduals of the opposite sex as to what species the animal 

 belongs to, it seems unlikely that they require guidance in 

 such matters by the display of a few spots of white or black 



