ON AN EAST AFRICAN RANCH 
45 
its peculiar coloration is probably in actual fact of hardly 
the slightest service to it from the ‘‘protective’' standpoint, 
whether as regards escaping from its enemies or approach¬ 
ing its prey. It has extraordinary facility in hiding, it is 
a master of the art of stealthy approach; but it is normally 
nocturnal and by night the color of its hide is of no conse¬ 
quence whatever; while by day, as I have already said, 
its varied coloration renders it slightly more easy to detect 
than is the case with the cougar. 
All of this applies with peculiar force to the zebra, 
which it has also been somewhat the fashion of recent 
years to hold up as an example of “protective coloration." 
As a matter of fact the zebra’s coloration is not protective 
at all; on the contrary it is exceedingly conspicuous, and 
under the actual conditions of the zebra’s life probably 
never hides it from its foes; the instances to the contrary 
being due to conditions so exceptional that they may be 
disregarded. If any man seriously regards the zebra’s 
coloration as “protective," let him try the experiment of 
wearing a hunting suit of the zebra pattern; he will speed¬ 
ily be undeceived. The zebra is peculiarly a beast of the 
open plains, and makes no effort ever to hide from the 
observation of its foes. It is occasionally found in open 
forest; and may there now and then escape observation 
simply as any animal of any color—a dun hartebeest or a 
nearly black bushbuck—may escape observation. At a 
distance of over a few hundred yards the zebra’s coloration 
ceases to be conspicuous simply because the distance has 
caused it to lose all its distinctive character—that is, all 
the quality which could possibly make it protective. Near 
by it is always very conspicuous, and if the conditions are 
