A PUZZLING COLOR THEORY 
Tn bright sunshine, in the middle of the day, I have seen a herd of them at a 
distance of over three miles; but that is not the time when their enemies 
prey upon them.” 
A German writer, Von Héhnel, who accompanied Count 
Teleku on his explorations east of Lake Rudolph, has recorded 
some almost contradictory observations : — 
“In the afternoon, I, for a long time, with the help of my field glasses, 
watched a little herd of animals which from their size and color I took to 
be wild asses. As we had not met with any before, I was at some pains 
to get near enough to examine them carefully, but in the end I found they 
were only Zebra grevyi with narrow stripes. Seen with the naked eye at 
the distance of some 300 paces they appeared to be a uniform gray color.” 
He notes making a similar mistake a second time. Von Héhnel also 
mentions that the noise made by a Grevy’s zebra when alarmed or ex- 
cited is so very like that of a leopard or lion ‘‘that we were more than 
once deceived by it.” Was this also “ protective” ? 
This does not agree very well with Osborn’s “‘ protective” ex- 
planation, for these examples were away from shadow; nor does 
Gregory’s testimony seem very convincing, since in the dusk no 
animal, however tinted, is readily discernible; and no proof is 
offered that a uniformly gray or dust-colored zebra would not 
have been even less distinct at the distance mentioned. In fact, 
Von Héhnel’s evidence goes to show that in the glare of sunlit 
plains a comparatively short distance makes all colors and pat- 
terns look alike, so that the Quaker-dressed ass is no better off 
than his gaudy cousin; and if he had not been an ass he 
would have stuck to the traditions of his gay ancestors! But 
Gregory asserts that in full daylight he could recognize zebras 
three miles away. Lastly, what would it profit a zebra to be 
mistaken for anything else, anyhow? 
We come now to the third branch of the family, the asses, 
which, like the zebras, lack the hinder chestnuts and the well- 
haired manes and tails of the horses; but they have 
a horselike plainness of coat, and special peculiar- 
ities in the excessive bigness of the ears and in the smallness 
365 
Asses. 
