80 CHILDHOOD OF ANIMALS 



have brought it into existence. But I think it is plain that as we 

 pass from the patterns that are the fairly obvious result of growth- 

 forces, such as the simple geometrical markings which are visibly 

 structural, through the more irregular stripes and blotches which 

 may be set down to irregular growth, to counter -shadings and 

 elaborate background-matching, and still more to odd and brilliant 

 disguises of the true contours of the body, we come into regions 

 where we may more and more expect that the results have been 

 shaped and controlled by a process of natural selection and serve 

 some purpose of direct utility to their possessors. 



