COLOURS AND COLORATION 31 



antelopes, which are characterised by a broad dark-brown 

 or black bar running along the flank and across the thigh, 

 have not really " acquired " this character independently. 

 That is to say this bar is not the last of a once numerous 

 series such as we have seen to be characteristic of the 

 primitive livery. And the fact that the stripe is less 

 developed in the young bears out this view. 



And now let us briefly touch upon that other, and far 

 more common pattern, wherein the stripes run in an 

 exactly opposite direction — that is to say across, instead 

 of along the body. It is a significant fact that numerous 

 mammals present this form of striping. The thylacine, or 

 tasmanian wolf, and the banded ant-eater (Myrmecolius 

 fasciatus) among the marsupials ; the zebras and asses, 

 the kudus, elands, gnus, and harnessed antelopes, and 

 a large percentage of the carnivora, of which the tiger 

 may be taken as an example. 



Now in the majority of cases of this kind both adults 

 and young are marked alike. So that here, then, we have 

 in existence to-day the same conditions as obtained in 

 regard to the longitudinally striped animals ages ago. 

 It would seem from this as though this particular form 

 of " secant " coloration was a much more efficient form of 

 protection than the now almost superseded longitudinal 

 striping, which, as we have remarked, among the mammals 

 is relatively rare. And, curiously enough, we have a 

 repetition of the lines of evolution already seen in the 

 case of the more primitive striping. That is to say, we 

 find cases where the stripes are well developed in the 

 young, and gradually fade with advancing age, leaving a 

 " self-coloured " coat. 



No better illustration of the fact could be found than 

 that furnished by the elands, where the calf is vividly 



