.502 APPENDIX E 



of observation, and, in addition, a man possessing the ability to 

 portray vividly, clearly, and with interest what he has seen. 



Experience in the field is of great value in hel{)ing to test various 

 biological theories. One of the theories which has had a very 

 great vogue of recent years is that of the protective coloration of 

 animals. It has been worked out with a special elaborateness in 

 Mr. Thayer's book on " Concealing Coloration in the Animal 

 Kingdom."' I do not question the fact that there are in all 

 probability multitudes of cases in which the coloration of an 

 animal is of protective value in concealing it from its prey or its 

 foes. But the theory is certainly pushed to preposterous extremes; 

 its ultra-adherents taking up a position Hke that of some of the 

 earlier champions of the glacial theory, who, having really dis- 

 covered notable proofs of glacial acticm in parts of Europe and 

 North America, then went slightly crazy on their favourite subject, 

 and proceeded to find proofs of glacial action over the entire world 

 surface, including, for instance, the Amazon Valley. As regards 

 many of the big game animals, at any rate, which are claimed by 

 the ultra-exponents of the protective coloration theoi'y as ofl'ering 

 examples thereof, there is not the least particle of justification for 

 the claim. 



I select Mr. Thayer's book because it is a really noteworthy 

 book, written and illustrated by men of great ability, and because 

 it contains much that is of genuine scientific value. -^ I have no 

 question whatever, for instance, that concealing coloration is of 

 real value in the struggle for existence to certain maunnals and 

 certain birds, not to mention invertebrates. The night hawk, 

 certain partridges and grouse, and numerous other birds which 

 seek to escape observation by squatting motionless, do unquestion- 

 ably owe an immense amount to the way in which their colours 

 harmonize with the surrounding colours, thus enabling them to lie 

 undetected while they keep still, and probably even protecting 

 them somewhat if they try to skulk off. In these cases, where the 

 theory really applies, the creature benefited by the coloration 

 secures the benefit by acting in a way which enables the coloration 

 to further its concealment. A night hawk, or a woodcock, or a 

 prairie chicken, will lie until nearly trodden on, the bird showing 

 by its action that its one thought is to escape observation, and its 

 coloration and squatting attitude enabling it thus to escape 

 observation, as Mr. Beddard puts it in his book on " Animal 

 Coloration," " absence of movement is absolutely essential for 

 protectively coloured animals, whether they make use of their 



'■ In passing I wish to bear testimony to the admirable work done by various 

 members of the Thayer family in preserving birds ami wild life — work so admirable 

 that if those concerned in it will go on with it, they are entitled to believe anything 

 in the world they wish about protective coloration i 



