ZEBRAS AND QUAGGAS 211 



or true zebra properly belongs to Gravy's zebra of 

 Abyssinia and Somaliland, it is applied by natura- 

 lists to the species inhabiting the mountains of Cape 

 Colony, the Equus zebra of Linnaeus and the wilde- 

 paard ( = wild horse) of the Boers. From the other 

 members of the striped group this species (pi. xx. 

 fig. i) is distinguishable at a glance by its more ass- 

 like appearance — especially the relatively great 

 length of the narrow ears — and the full development 

 of a gridiron-like pattern of transverse stripes on 

 the hind-quarters above the tail. The stripes are 

 white on a black ground. In addition to these 

 features, the species is characterised by the hairs 

 on the middle of the back, from the withers to 

 the rump, being directed forwards instead of 

 backwards. The tail-tuft is less developed than 

 in other species, and the hoofs are narrower. 

 With the exception of those of the hind-quarters, 

 which on the sides are very broad and separated 

 by light intervals of approximately similar width, 

 the transverse stripes on the body are narrow and 

 closely set, and all of them stop short of the 

 middle line of the belly, so as to leave a white space 

 on each side of the longitudinal ventral stripe. 

 The corresponding dorsal stripe is very narrow, 

 and connected with the transverse stripes, most of 

 which run nearly at right angles to this line, 

 although the last two, which are much broader 

 than the rest, are bent sharply backwards, so as 



