Colouration in animals and plants . dark bands increase in width, until theyunite, and the creature becomes almost uniformly brown. We have not been able to see young specimens of the viverridee,but a similar change may there occui-, or it may have occurred informer times. We must also remember that these creatures arelong-bodied, like the weasels, and hence they may have a tendencyto produce long stripes. In the case of our domestic animals, especially the oxen, thedecoration seems often to have become irregular, but even here theemphasis of the extremities is generally clearly made out, and
Colouration in animals and plants . dark bands increase in width, until theyunite, and the creature becomes almost uniformly brown. We have not been able to see young specimens of the viverridee,but a similar change may there occui-, or it may have occurred informer times. We must also remember that these creatures arelong-bodied, like the weasels, and hence they may have a tendencyto produce long stripes. In the case of our domestic animals, especially the oxen, thedecoration seems often to have become irregular, but even here theemphasis of the extremities is generally clearly made out, and thatof the limbs can often be traced. In horses this is better shown, anddappled varieties often well illustrate the points. Most horses atsome time show traces of spots. Sufficient has now been said to point out the laws we believe tohave regulated the decoration of the animal kingdom. The fullworking out of the question must be left to the future, but it ishoped that a solid groundwork has been laid down. To face pat -W- Platc XL. CHAPTER XV. The Colouration of Plants. THE general structure of plants is so simple in comparison withthat of animals that our remarks upon this sub-kingdom needonly be short. With regard to leaves, especially such as are brightly coloured,like the Begonias, Caladimus, Coleus, and Anoechtochilus, Plate XI.,the colour follows pretty closely the lines of structure. We haveborder decoration, marking out the vein-pattern of the border; theveins are frequently the seat of vivid colour, and when decolour-ation takes place, as in variegated plants, we find it running alongthe interspaces of the veins. These facts are too patent to needmuch illustration; for our zonale geraniums, ribbon grasses, andbeautiful-leaved plants generally, are now so common that everyoneknows their character. When decay sets in, and oxidation givesrise to the vivid hues of autumn, we find the tints taking structurallines, as is well shown in dying vine and horse-chestnut leaves, F
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