206 Directive Coloration in Animals. 
A Synopsis OF DIRECTIVE COLORATION IN ANIMALS. 
_ Directive coloration is that which is in any way useful to a species 
by assisting in mutual recognition between individuals, or by indi- 
cating, one to another, their attitude of body and probable 
movements. 
1. Marks and tints, promoting recognition at a distance, to guide 
in straggling flight and to bring stragglers together. [A.] 
2. Those indicating the attitude of the body and its probable 
movement [B] in darkness of night, or in dens; [C] in close move- 
ments of large numbers, by day as well as by night; [D] in inter- 
course of the sexes; [E] in the care of young. 
A. [a] By having the general color more or less strikingly con- 
trasted with the environment.—Crows, buzzards, blue-birds, wood- 
peckers, ete. 
[b] When general color is inconspicuous: by having striking 
colors upon parts of the body which may be hidden during rest, but 
capable of display automatically either cane flight, at the moment 
of stopping, or during a calling cry, viz. 
Conspicuous colors about the tail : Mesa Rabbit, deer, — 
prong-horn, many antelope, Rocky Mountain sheep, chamois, etc., 
etc. Outer tail-feathers conspicuous :—[ Birds] Snow-bird, meadow- 
lark, many finches, robin and many thrushes, most warblers, many 
vireos, night-hawk, ptarmigan, horned-lark, ete. A terminal band: 
Turkey, king-bird, and many fly-catchers, turtle-dove and other 
pigeons, grouse, etc. Under-coverts: Prairie-hen, coot, galinule, 
many snipe, many ducks and geese, etc. Rump and upper coverts: 
Hawks, flickers, and other Picarize, most geese, ete. 
Conspicuous colors about lateral appendages :—In Mammals, the 
ears (more frequently on the back side)—hares, deer, ete. ; in Birds, 
the wings—many finches, coots, upland-plover, pelican, snow-goose, 
crane, many warblers, vireos, etc. 
B. [a] By striking marks about the head and neck :—[Mam- 
mals] Raccoon, badger, skunk, coatis, many antelope and rodentia, 
etc. [Birds] Many raptores, sparrows, fly-catchers, warblers, 
anseres, etc., ete. 
[b] By various spots and lines on shoulders or sides :—Skunks, 
chip-munks, antelope. peccaries, chevrotains, etc. 
[c] By paleness of belly and inner side of legs:—Cases too 
numerous to name. 
