1908.] IN THE MUSTELINE CAENIVORA. 957 



the information quoted above from Blanford having been taken 

 from Hutton's account based upon observations of living examples 

 in captivity. 



Reference was made above to a black form of Ratel. This 

 occurs in the Ituri Forest and was described by Mr. Lydekker as 

 Mellivora cotto7ii*. This species, or race, has a special interest 

 in connection with the views advocated in this essay, from its 

 bearing upon the theory I have already published t, that where 

 conceahuent is unneeded animals tend to assume a uniformly 

 dark coloration unrelieved by spots or stripes. As illustrations of 

 this were cited elephants, i-hinoceroses, hippopotamusesj, bufFalos, 

 bisons, many bears, moles, ravens, rooks, and others, which, either 

 by their strength and size, their gregarious habits or mode of 

 life, are protected from carnivorous enemies and have no need of 

 procryptic coloration to help them in the capture of prey. 



In their habits, many Bears are very similar to badgers and 

 ratels. Theyai-e slow and leisurely and bold in their movements, 

 and feed chiefly upon roots, fruits, honey, and other vegetable 

 products, although they will kill and eat living prey. They are 

 not, however, dependent upon it §, as are the Oats, to which they 

 offer the greatest possible contrast both in coloration and mode 

 of life. They have no stink-glands like the Mustelidse described 

 above, but are well known to be terrible antagonists when fighting. 

 Major Rodon, F.Z.S., has told me that the Himalayan Black 

 Bear {Ursus torquaius) is more than a match for leopards, and 

 that he has known one drive a leopard from its kill. Now this 

 species of Bear has a very distinct, somewhat V-shaped white or 

 yellow patch across the chest, which is displayed to full view 

 when the animal stands erect. The Malayan Bear ( Crsiis malay- 

 anus) has a similar, usually yellowish, horseshoe-shaped mark ; and 

 the Sloth Bear (Jlelursus m-sinus) carries the same badge. It is 

 significant that this white mark is shown to an antagonist when 

 the bear assumes its attitude of defence, and it i-eminds one 

 forcibly of the patch described above possessed by the Tayra 

 {Galera harhara) ; and I venture to suggest that, as in that animal, 

 it acts as a recognition mai-k and danger signal. 



Since the preceding pages were wr-itten, I have had the oppor- 

 tunity of discussing with Mr. Abbott H. Thayer the theory of 

 warning coloration in general and its application to Mammalia 

 in particular. Mr. Thayer has already published !! his disbelief 



* P. Z. S. 1906, p. 112. 



t Pall Mall Magazine, Feb. 1904, pp. 179-180. 



X It is interesting to record that three young hippopotamuses, one from Nigeria 

 and two from German East Africa, when brought to the Gardens, were pink below 

 and protectively countershaded on Thayer's principle. They were believed to be 

 about two years old at the time. During the two subsequent years, as they grew in 

 size and capability, the under side gradually became pigmented. 



§ With exception of the Polar Bears, all the bears in our Gardens thrive on a diet 

 of ship's biscuits and upon the bread and buns given to them by visitors. 



ii Trans. Ent. Soc. London, 1903, p. 556. 



