6 STUDIES IN THE EVOLUTION OF ANIMALS 



the animal's fellows of the same species, and especially by the 

 sexes and the young.' ^ 



Then on p. 199, quoting from Major Walford, a Tiger-hunter, 

 Dr. Wallace says : ' There can be no doubt whatever that the 

 colour of both the Tiger and the Panther renders them almost 

 invisible, especially in a strong blaze of light, when among grass ; 

 and one does not seem to notice stripes or spots till they are 

 dead.' 



I suspect the ' strong blaze of light ' had something to do 

 with the invisibility on the part of Major Walford, for he says 

 that natives could see the Tiger, which would seem to mean that 

 their eyes are accustomed to strong light, and can adapt them- 

 selves to it. 



There cannot, however, be any doubt that the two sides of a 

 spotted or striped animal are unsymmetrical. A glance at the 

 Tiger and Leopard skins in the London fur-shops would be 

 enough to convince any one of this. And it is, I think, due to 

 a want of identical nervous action in both halves of the central 

 nerve organ, to the atomic action of which I would attribute 

 all skin colorations. 



One of the objects of these pages is to investigate how far the 

 markings of animals are due to natural selection, and how far they 

 are not. 



The innumerable variations in the markings of horses, which we 

 see in the streets of London, will be made to contribute evidence 

 in this interesting investigation. 



In many cases it will not be difficult to show that the striped 

 animal is only a modification of the spotted animal. 



1 The probability is that wild animals recognise their fellows more by scent than by 

 sight : nevertheless, it is curious to note how dogs recognise dogs of any breed, at a 

 distance ; they, however, complete their investigation by means of the nose. 



