APPENDICES 
417 
500 yards—the conspicuous stripes of the zebra become in¬ 
distinguishable, or “ melt into monotone.” Quite poetic; though 
in plain prose I prefer to explain the phenomenon by the simple 
fact that human eyesight at such distances ceases to recognise 
minor detail. But by what process of mental athletics can that 
everyday fact be construed into evidence that thereby the 
zebra is rendered less visible? 
Consider how such phantasies work out on the open veld. 
There, in full view, stands your zebra—more probably twenty, 
forty, or a hundred zebras, covering acres of ground—striped 
or “melted monotone” according to distance. The colour 
matters not a whit; the animals are, of course, as easy to see at 
500 yards—or at 5000—as are cattle or ponies on an open down 
at home. For zebras are big upstanding beasts, over 13 hands 
high and bulky of build, conspicuous to the most moderate 
eyesight. Moreover, they are not all “ melted monotone,” 
even at the 500-yard range. Only those that happen to be 
facing the light, while full broadside to the observer, could be 
described so; those which stand broadside-on to the light 
show up silvery-white; others posed athwart the light appear 
coal-black! No two necessarily agree —suum cuique colorem , 
varying with the angle and impact of the light. But let 
their colour be what it may, none can fail to see them, save 
the blind. See sketch at p 437. 
Will any theorist dare contend that in an English landscape 
cattle or sheep are “colour-protected”? No: because such a 
proposition would conflict with common knowledge and with 
common-sense alike. But the case of the zebra on African 
veld differs in no way whatever—nor does that of any large 
animal (beast or bird) in full view, far or near, so it be within 
the range of vision. 
Zebra, moreover, are not the sole denizens of the open 
plain. That group to the right—or left, it matters not—are 
hartebeests, red as foxes; and nearer the fringing forest graze 
a dozen impala, redder still; while beyond stands a column of 
brindled gnus, these last of a clear slate-blue, which in African 
sunlight stand out conspicuous as a string of marble statues 
at a couple of miles. Each of the four species display totally 
different colours and all clearly distinguishable by eyesight. 
2 D 
