relates of a Lioness that was killed, "she had four unborn whelps, with downy skins, striped like the Tiger."[1] It still appears that the young of many unicolorous animals are spotted. "Pigs and Tapirs are banded and spotted when young; an imported young specimen of Tapirus bairdi was covered with white spots in longitudinal rows, here and there forming short stripes. Even the Horse, which Darwin supposes to be descended from a striped animal, is often spotted, as in dappled Horses; and great numbers show a tendency to spottiness, especially on the haunches."[2]
Similar markings are to be found in the young of many fishes. Larval Cod have black transverse bars, "the stellate black chromatophores arranged in bands are clearly indicated."[3] Young Ling (Molua molva), when grown to a length of seven inches, pass through a very distinct barred stage.[4] The young of all the Salmonidse are barred; "and this is so constantly the case that it may be used as a generic, or even as a family character, not being peculiar to Salmo alone, but also common to Thymallus, and probably to Coregonus."[5] When the fry have attained a length of some four inches, they are known by the name of " parr," and "bear conspicuously on their bodies transverse marks or bars, which are common to the young of every member of the Salmon family."[6] Even as regards the colouring of British land and freshwater Mollusca, the view has been held that Helix cantiana, H. cartusiana, &c, were once banded species.[7]
Taking the cases of the Lion, Puma, and Cheetah, we see that the two first, unicolorous in their adult stage, apparently show by their spotted young a derivation from a similarly coloured ancestor, whilst the spotted Cheetah, from the apparent evidence of its unicolorous young, would point to a totally different conclusion. But the cumulative opinion of evolutionists is that all
- ↑ 'Wand, and Advent, in Int. S. Africa,' vol. i. p. 220.
- ↑ A.R. Wallace, 'Darwinism,' p. 290.
- ↑ Mcintosh and Masterman, 'Life-histories Brit. Marine Food Fishes,' p. 238.
- ↑ Ibid. p. 33, fig. 8, and p. 281.
- ↑ 'Roy. Nat. Hist.,' vol. v. p. 494.
- ↑ Ibid. p. 497.
- ↑ Cf. "Val. Address," 'Journ. Conch.,' April, 1888; and Boycott, 'Zoologist,' 3rd ser, vol. xx. p. 62.
