172 NATURE AND SPORT IN SOUTH AFRICA 



occasionally a little more. The body-colour varies 

 from pale sienna to white or almost white; the 

 stripings, which differ entirely from those of the 

 true zebra, are black or brownish-black. The head 

 is light and handsome, and with the small ears 

 appears more equine than asinine. The mane is 

 erect and full, coming well over the forehead, and 

 is banded alternately in black, or dark brown, and 

 white. The tail is also much more equine than in 

 the true zebra, and is whitish and flowing. The 

 legs of this zebra, as with all its kin in the wild 

 state, are clean, hard, and perfectly formed. One 

 never finds a "crock" or a lame one — except from 

 wounds — among a troop; and the feet are models 

 of perfection — small, clean, perfectly shaped, and 

 hard as flint — and are evidently peculiarly adapted 

 to the high dry plains upon which these animals 

 make their homes. Burchell's zebras can gallop 

 very well and very fast ; and several times, in tail- 

 on-end chases across the plains, I have had to 

 relinquish pursuit as hopeless, although well enough 

 mounted for the South African veldt. The Cape 

 hunting-pony is, however, always severely handi- 

 capped on these occasions, with its burden of a 

 heavy man, rifle, and equipments. On level terms, 

 a fair horse would, I think, always beat the fastest 

 zebra that ever scoured the plains. In many 

 instances the markings in this zebra extend but 



