The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-05-21
PROTECTION FOR WEAK ANIMALS.
A. H. Thayer Demonstrates That Would
BE Destroyers Are Raffied.

Written for the Sunday Standard.
A series of careful scientific expert
ments have resulted in the discovery
that Dame Nature has given to animals
unable to fight successfully against
their stronger foes wonderful means of
protection. The experiments, which
were conducted by A. H. Thayer, an
the coloring and general characteristics
of an innocuous animal acquire re-
semblance to it's usual surroundings
which enables 1t to remain undetected
by its would-be dstroyers. The expert
mentS show also how the colorat ton of
an animal is SO disposed as to cause
strong light to become protection and
even one of its best means of conceal
ment; though it might reasonably be
supposed that a dark spot would most
favor the animals safety. BY these
experiments Mr.. Thayer demonstrated
indisputably his theory as to why most
animals are darker on the back than
on the breast.
First selecting specimens from Nor
way Mr.. Thayer chose a mountain or
variable hare (the common species of the
north of Europe), stoat and a weazel,
some willow grouse and ptarmigan in
neighborhood of Christiania in the
month of July, showing the general har-
mony of their coloratio at this season
with that of the rocks and plants
among which they live. The same spe
cies of animals obtained from the same
spot in midwinter disclosed the fact
that they had changed to white like
the snow which completely covers the
ground around them. Such absolute
changes as these, it was found. only oc-
cur in ATTITUDES and localities where
the differences between the general eX-
ternal conditions in the different sea-
sons are extreme; where the snow en-
tirely disappears in summer and re-
mains continuously on the ground dur
ing the greater part of the winter And
it was proved in the course of the in
vestigations that even some of these
species do not turn white in the less Sc
we're winters of the southern portion of
their range. This showed that the
change is in direct adaptation to the
surroundings, the advantage gained be-
ing concealment from their enemies or
their prey, as the case may be.
Another striking example of adapta
ton to environment was furnished by
a series of specimens obtained from the
forest of Maramanga, about IS miles
east of AntananariVo, Madagascar,
each specimen being mounted on the
piece of bark sent with it by the colec-
tor These insects differ remarkably
from each other individually, but all
closely resemble the particular color of
the lichen- covered bark of the trees
upon which they habitually rest, cir
cumStance which seems we'll calculated
to afford them protection.
Six specimens of a beetle were OBJ
tanned from Madagascar, with their nat
ural surroundings. The black and white
or yellowish color and black hairs of
the beetle and of the lichen agreed COM
pleteIy, affording the insect ample pro-
lection, it being borne in mind that the
beetles are not so easily seen in state
of nature as they are in a cas-" where
special attention is drawn to them.
Mr.. Thayer then set 10 work to
evolve a theory that would explain
why animals are. as rule, dark
above and lighter in color below. He
procured a box, open at the top, and
with one side replaced by glass. and
lined with light gray felt. In the mid
die, on perch, he placed two rough
ly modelled birds. One was covered
with the same gray felt as the sur
rounding box, and the other eolored
darker than the felt on the top and
white below. 1t was found that the
spectator standing close to the box
saw both birds clearly, but a few yards
away the colored bird entirely disap-
peared from sight. Mr.. Thayer then
discovered that it is not resemblance to
the color of its surroundings, or pro
tectlVe coloration," as ordinarily de-
iinea, winch prevents an animal from
oeihg seen, but that the true cause of