LIVERIES AND THEIR MEANING 61 



in point. Here, the upper surface of the body is of a hoary grey 

 colour, while the under surface is of a jet black, and the two are 

 divided by a white line ! So far no explanation of this excep- 

 tional coloration has been suggested ; and, before this explanation 

 can be forthcoming, travellers must make careful observations 

 on ratels in a wild state. 



Protective coloration sometimes assumes a character which 

 seems at first sight but little likely to deserve this appellation. 

 What, for instance, could appear more conspicuous than the 

 striped coat of the zebra ? Yet, as a matter of fact, the broad 

 black-and-white vertical bars of this animal, so striking and arrest- 

 ing in a Zoological Garden, tell a very different story when the 

 animal is met with in a wild state. The zebra, it must be 

 remembered, is a defenceless animal, and is always exposed to 

 attack from the lion. This is especially the case during the night, 

 for being a day-feeder the night is generally passed in sleep. In 

 the absence of starlight, or of a full moon, darkness affords a 

 sufficient protection from surprise ; but during bright starlight or 

 moonlight, there would be, one would imagine, little chance of 

 creatures of such large bulk and conspicuous markings escaping 

 discovery. In reality, however, these broadly contrasted 

 bands, so far from being conspicuous, actually form a mantle 

 of invisibility ! If the black stripes were more numerous the 

 animal would be seen as a black mass ; if the white dominated, as a 

 white mass ; but their proportion is so beautifully balanced that, 

 even at close range, the body exactly matches the arid ground 

 as seen by moonlight ! The stripes of the tiger similarly provide 

 invisibility. The tawny black-barred hide of this ravenous 

 creature so completely matches the reed-stems and dead vegeta- 

 tion amid which he crouches, that detection is almost impossible 

 by his unsuspecting prey, and thereby he is enabled to spring 

 upon his victims unawares. Here, then, we see the same colour 

 device adopted to achieve opposite ends in the one case to enable 

 a defenceless creature to avoid its dreaded and all-powerful enemy ; 

 in the other, to enable the slayer to creep stealthily upon his un- 

 suspecting victims ! Before proceeding to cite yet further cases 

 of similar devices to avoid enemies on the one side, or to escape 

 foes on the other, it should be remarked that transverse striping 



