FiO. 103. A Compound Picture. (Photographic, except for the upper rear-view of the Hare. The 

 crouching Have was photographed from life; the Skunk from a stuffed skin.) This picture, by show- 

 ing the old familiar type of obliterative coloration alongside of the obliterative effect of white upper- 

 suriace patterns, so long supposed to make their weaver conspicuous, prepares the reader to discover 

 that all patterns and colors whatsoever, of all animals that, ever prey, or are preyed on, are, under 

 certain normal circumstances, obliterative. Animals which need to escape notice when looked at 

 ivoni above, ^atch the ground. Those that must not be detected when looked at from a lower level, 

 match the sky, or whatever combination of skv, vegetation, etc., commonly forms their background 

 f rom this view-point. Between these two extremes— if we count skv and sky-refiected-in-water as one- 

 are ranged the color-schemes of most of the animal kingdom. 



In this illustration the Skunk against the skv loses the white parts of his silhouette, and his dark is 

 , , . . . , , , . .. , lett to look hke bushes, etc., in the background (A). On the other hand, the Skunk against the around 

 loses his dark parts, and his white, though otten, as here, conspicuous in itself, has a largely inorganic and deceptive contour, and. when seen 

 amid obstructing twigs and leaves especially at night, is potently obliterative (Cf. Figs. 104-106). It is in fact vol 'pure white, but 

 nearer to the color of bleached dead leaves and twigs. The Leaping Hare's white rump vanishes against the skv (C), from the sight 

 of the creeping fox, or other quadruped pursuer. The fox's eyes are, at that moment, lower than the Hare's tail and he see? it 

 agamst the sky (or, m the woods, the sky's light through the leaves). (D) shows a man's view of the same hare, and explains why men 

 have thought this white conspicuous. lo a young hare this white rear of the mother would present the same difficulty as to the fox On 

 the other hand, a crouching Hare, so admirably merged into his surroundings when looked at from above, (E), is boldlv conspicuous 

 ii. i i.ii-i . mouse could theorize 



'ay from him, a most 

 still more convincing 



