PATTERN-BLENDING. 



681 



evenly lit, as for instance the vertical surfaces of the legs and 

 sides of the face, the stripes maintain a more or less constant 

 width. From what has been observed under experimental 

 conditions as regards pattern-blending, it is obvious that, if one 

 considers only the trunk of this animal, the varying widths of 

 the stripes after blending must produce a condition of grey 

 similar exactly to obliterative shading as seen, for instance, in 

 the ass. 



Text-figure 2. 



*r 







1. Grant's Zebra {JSquus burcheUl c/ranti), hind view. 



2. The same view : stripes omitted : showing chief shadows under top lighting. 



3. Lateral view of same animal. 



4. Hind view of base ot tail, showing pattern. 



5. Tlind view of base of tail, pattern omitted, showing shading as in 2. 

 a. Hind view of Tiger {Felis tiyris), showing pattern. 



7. Front view of Grant's Zebra, showing pattern. 



Amongst big-game hnnteis there is a diflerence of opinion as 

 to whether this animal is easily seen or not, under natural con- 

 ditions. It appears that this difference of opinion is largely dvie 

 to the district in which the hunter has observed these animals. 

 In some districts the zebra is relatively tame and the hunter 

 can frequently approach to within the blending distance of the 

 pattern, which has been variously estimated, according to the 

 lighting : under these conditions the zebra will of course appear 

 a very conspicuous animal. On the other hand, in those distiicts 

 Avhere near approach cannot be gained on account of the open 

 nature of the country or wildness of the animal, the hunter Avill 



