Obliterative Colouring 



the white fur of the back and the dark fur of the 

 sides. Similarly the crocodiles are supposed to 

 mistake a flamingo for the sky at sunrise or at 

 sunset ! 



There is doubtless something in this theory of 

 obliterative colouration. 



Any one can see, by paying a visit to the South 

 Kensington Museum, that an animal which is of 

 a lighter colour below than above, is less con- 

 spicuous in a poor light than it would be were 

 it uniformly coloured. There is then no doubt 

 that this scheme of colour, which is so common 

 in nature, has some protective value. 



To this extent has Mr Thayer made a valuable 

 contribution to zoological science. But when 

 he informs us that obliterative colouring is a 

 " universal attribute of animal life," we feel 

 sorely tempted to poke fun at him. 



We would ask all those who believe in the 

 universality of obliterative colouring to observe 

 a flock of rooks wending their way to their 

 dormitories at sunset. 



Let us now pass on to the examination of the 

 more orthodox theories of animal colouration. 



OBJECTIONS TO THE THEORY OF CRYPTIC 

 COLOURING 



Before criticising the theory of cryptic colour- 

 ing, we desire to state distinctly that we admit 



.8? 



