64 AFRICAN GAME TRAILS 



hill nor bush. Their size and their dark bluish hides, some- 

 times showing white in the sunlight, but more often black, 

 rendered them more easily seen than any of their com- 

 panions. But hardly any plains animal of any size makes 

 any effort to escape its enemies by eluding their observa- 

 tion. Very much of what is commonly said about "pro- 

 tective coloration" has no basis whatever in fact. Black 

 and white are normally the most conspicuous colors in 

 nature (and yet are borne by numerous creatures who 

 have succeeded well in the struggle for life); but almost 

 any tint, or combination of tints, among the grays, browns 

 and duns, harmonizes fairly well with at least some sur- 

 roundings, in most landscapes; and in but a few instances 

 among the larger mammals, and in almost none among 

 those frequenting the open plains, is there the slightest 

 reason for supposing that the creature gains any benefit 

 whatever from what is loosely called its "protective colora- 

 tion." Giraffes, leopards, and zebras, for instance, have 

 actually been held up as instances of creatures that are 

 "protectingly" colored and are benefited thereby. The 

 giraffe is one of the most conspicuous objects in nature, 

 and never makes the slightest effort to hide; near by its 

 mottled hide is very noticeable, but as a matter of fact, 

 under any ordinary circumstances any possible foe trust- 

 ing to eyesight would discover the giraffe so far away that 

 its coloring would seem uniform, that is, would because of 

 the distance be indistinguishable from a general tint which 

 really might have a slight protective value. In other words, 

 while it is possible that the giraffe's beautifully waved color- 

 ing may under certain circumstances, and in an infinitesi- 

 mally small number of cases, put it at a slight disadvantage 

 in the struggle for life, in the enormous majority of cases 

 a majority so great as to make the remaining cases negligi- 

 ble it has no effect whatever, one way or the other; and 

 it is safe to say thai under no conditions is its coloring of 

 the slightest value to it as affording it "protection" from 

 foes trusting to their eyesight. So it is with the leopard; 



