320 Darwin, and after Darwin. 



to secure concealment, it nevertheless exhibits the 

 instinct of crouching which is of benefit to all its 

 kind, although, from the accident of its own abnormal 

 colouring, this instinct is then actually detrimental 

 to the animal itself. For example, every sportsman 



FIG. 109. (Edicnemus crepitans, showing the instinctive attitude of 

 concealment. Drawn from a stuffed specimen in the British Museum, 

 J nat. size, with appropriate surroundings supplied. 



must have noticed that the somewhat rare melanic 

 variety of the common rabbit will crouch as steadily 

 as the normal brownish-gray type, notwithstanding 

 that, owing to its abnormal colour, a " nigger-rabbit " 

 thus renders itself the most conspicuous object in the 



