9781422275023

STRANGE BEAUTY

An animal’s appearance has much to do with its way of life. No feature on the body of an animal is there simply as adornment, and no patch of color or set of markings will be produced but for a specific reason. To gain an idea of the reasons behind an ani- mal’s appearance it is important to study the animal in its natural surroundings and if possible while it is unaware of being observed. Many birds have brilliant colors and extravagant plumes or crests. They may sometimes be so elaborate that they appear to prevent the bird from flying or feeding with­ out great difficulty. If the birds are observed in an aviary or especially if they are seen in illustrations against a blank page of a book, the colors seem to be particularly striking. If, however, these same birds are seen against

“When we once realize that whether in attacking or avoiding an enemy, it is in most cases a great advantage to all animals to be hidden from view, and that each creature has arrived at this advantage by slow inheritance, so that their colors often exactly answer this purpose, how wonderful becomes the grey tint of the slug, the imitation of bark in the wings of the buff-tip moth, the green and brown hues of the eatable caterpillars, the white coat of the polar bear, and the changing coat of the Arctic fox as winter comes on!” W inners in L ife ’ s R ace by A rabella B uckley , 1882

Following page: The bright colors of this southern African locust advertise the fact that it has an unpleasant taste and is best avoided by predators. This one is eating euphorbia, a source of many foul- tasting chemicals.

Silhouetted against an African sunset these giraffes are among the most unmistakable of the continent’s large mammals. Its long neck enables the giraffe to reach leaves and branches out of range of all other grazing animals.

The horns of the Nubian ibex are incredibly long and recurved, giving the animal a noble appear­ ance. The horns are used not only in defense against predators but also in combat duels between rival males battling for the right to mate.

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