102 KLOOF AND KARROO. 



asinine type when placed side by side with the 

 more equine look of the other two, wide differences 

 will be readily distinguished." 



The quagga and Burchell's zebra, too, are 

 essentially lovers of the wide and open plains, 

 while the zebra proper, as I have pointed out, never 

 by any chance leaves its mountain home, unless 

 possibly to trek from one neighbouring range to 

 another, and then only under cover of night. I may 

 remark here, that the quagga has only become 

 extinct in the Cape Colony within the last twenty 

 years, but Burchell's zebra must have disappeared 

 long previously. That the latter animal did exist 

 south of the Orange River in large numbers I have 

 little doubt, from the perusal of Lieut. Paterson's 

 very interesting " Journeys to the Country of the 

 Namaquas and to Kaffraria in 1777-8-9," for he 

 speaks of what was evidently Burchell's zebra being 

 met with in large numbers in the Namaqua country, 

 though at that time the animal was unconnected 

 with the name of Dr. Burchell. 



The first appearance of the zebra in history 

 would seem to have been in the reign of the Roman 

 Emperor Caracalla, who caused to be displayed in 

 the circus an elephant, a rhinoceros, a tiger, and a 

 hippotigris. That it was rare even to the Romans, 

 those diligent collectors and wanton destroyers of 

 animal life, is certain, for there seems to be no 

 other mention of the " tiger horse " in the annals 



* It is to be remarked that a rare variety of Burchell's zebra (Eqnus 

 Burchellii var : Chapmanii), completely striped, even to the legs, has been 

 observed by Chapman and one or two other travellers in Southern Africa. 

 This variety is, however, distinctly scarce, although I believe occurring rather 

 more plentifully in Central Africa. A new variety of the true zebra (Equiis 

 Grevyii), from Shoa, North Africa, was also established in 1882. 



