SPOTS AND STRIPES IN MAMMALS 37 
With regard to the conspicuous black and white stripes 
on the cheeks of the badger, and throughout the head and 
body in the skunks, South African weasel, and Cape polecat, 
it may perhaps be argued, with some show of reason, 
that we have an old type of coloration. In the badger 
this type of coloration is restricted to the face, where it 
is evidently retained to render the animal inconspicuous 
among the streaks of light and shadow as it peers out of 
its burrow. On the other hand, they may have been 
acquired for this special purpose. In the other forms, 
all of which are more or less evil-smelling creatures, a 
conspicuous general coloration is an advantage, as warning 
off other animals from attacking them in mistake for 
harmless kinds, and the boldly alternating stripes have 
accordingly been retained all over the body and rendered 
as conspicuous as possible. 
I might dilate to almost any extent on the subject of 
spots and stripes; but sufficient has been adduced, in this 
and the preceding article, to indicate the interest attaching 
to the coloration of mammals, and to show how far we 
are from understanding what has brought about the 
present state of things. That uniformly coloured mammals | 
form the climax of colour-evolution in the case of stripes » 
and spots may be pretty safely admitted. It may further 
be considered probable that longitudinal dark stripes are 
an old type of coloration in at least some groups, although 
it does not follow that this will hold good for all, the 
marsupials being possibly an exception. ‘Transverse stripes 
cannot, however, be made to accord with Prof. Eimer’s 
theory, since not only do they exist in some of the most 
primitive of all mammals, but they reappear in certain 
specialised groups where there is no evidence of a pre- 
vious spotted stage having been passed through. While, 
