THE GREVY ZEBRA 159 



Red Sea. Although the epithet " tiger-like " may 

 refer to the supposed ferocity of the animals, it is 

 at least equally probable that it indicates that they 

 were conspicuously striped, and hence really 

 zebras not merely wild asses, as some might 

 be disposed to think, seeing that even wild asses 

 can bite and kick savagely. The Arabs were long 

 ago acquainted with some equine animal which 

 they called Zeora or Zecora, and this creature has 

 been supposed by some to have been the true or 

 mountain zebra (Eqiius zebra\ a most absurd 

 conjecture. Ludolph, in his " New History of 

 Ethiopia" (published 1684), tells us that " there is 

 a beast which is called Zecora which for beauty 

 excels all the fourfooted creatures in the world. 

 They of Congo give it the name of Zebra. This 

 creature is about the bigness of a mule, and is 



brought out of the woods of Habessinia 



and easily tamed a present of great esteem and 

 frequently given to the kings of Habessinia. . . . 

 His Eares are the only thing that disfigures him, 

 being of a disproportionate length, for which 

 reason he is call'd by the Portugals Burro do 

 Matto (though improperly), the wild Ass." 



In 1809-10 Mr. Salt travelled in Abyssinia, and 

 came within an ace of making a grand zoological 

 discovery, for he also alludes to the " Zebra or 

 Zecora," which occurred chiefly in the south of 

 that country. He states that its mane was in 





