t68 natural history essays 



stripes or bands derived directly from the actual 

 zebra parent) therefore indicates that Grevy's 

 zebra is an evolutionally older for^n than the 

 others, being thus the most primitive type of 

 zebra in Africa, and perhaps that from which all 

 the others are descended. Indeed, at the present 

 day, we see that the mountain zebra of the Cape 

 resembles grevyi in its long ears, in its unstriped 

 abdomen, in its legs being banded right down to 

 the hoofs : whilst Burchell's zebra retains in its 

 semi-equine mane and tail a likeness to its northern 

 cousin. These and other matters relating to these 

 very interesting animals require much elucidation, 

 and in the careful investigation of many problems 

 connected with the splendid zebra which we have 

 just been considering, there yet remain years of 

 work for the naturalist. 



