342 EXTINCT AND VANISHING MAMMALS 



Since there is still some doubt (Shortridge, 1934, vol. 1, p. 389) 

 whether the Mountain Zebra of the dry South-West African uplands 

 is recognizably distinct from the typical E. zebra, the two may be 

 treated together, pending further study of specimens. Also some 

 authors, among them Captain Shortridge (op. cit.), prefer to regard 

 this as a genus distinct from Equus or from the South African 

 Quagga, calling it Hippotigris. Since in skeletal and tooth characters 

 it is very little different from the horses, a conservative course is to 

 regard the latter as a subgenus of Equus. 



The Mountain Zebra was the first of the zebras known to 

 Europeans and is the smallest of the three species, standing about 

 12 hands high (48 inches) at the shoulder. Length of head and body 

 7 feet 4 inches; tail, with terminal hairs, 23 inches (W. L. Sclater, 

 1900). Sclater gives the following description: 



Body, head, and limbs closely covered with black or almost black stripes, 

 broader than their white interspaces; on the face the dark markings below 

 the eyes become reddish passing into large nostril patches of the same color, 

 but the muzzle itself is black; . . . ears long and rather narrow, posteriorly 

 the basal two-thirds striped, the terminal third black, the extreme point 

 white; . . . longitudinal dorsal stripe only noticeable over the haunches, 

 transverse stripes of the barrel extending back over the haunches to the 

 base of the tail forming here the so-called gridiron pattern; no shadow 

 stripes; hairs along the back to the shoulders reversed; belly white, except 

 for a longitudinal dark band running along its anterior portion which is 

 never reached by the transverse body stripes; limbs transversely marked 

 down to the hoofs, . . . the pasterns being quite black; . . . hoof rather 

 narrow, compact and solid; tail reaching the hocks with a median black line 

 and traces of transverse bars at the base; the distal quarter with a tuft of 

 long black hairs. 



Hartmann's Zebra is believed to differ from the typical race in 

 its larger size and more widely spaced stripes, so that the pale stripes 

 are equal to or even slightly wider than the black ones. The legs 

 "are almost evenly banded black and buff the black not predomi- 

 nating as in zebra." However, this pattern varies individually and as 

 yet it is uncertain whether the characters claimed are relatively 

 constant. 



As its name implies, this zebra was an upland species, living in 

 the mountains, "from Great Namaqualand (and possibly Damara- 

 land), through the various ranges of Cape Colony to the Great 

 Drakensberg chain, and thence to the end of that range. ... At 

 the present day," wrote Bryden (1899, p. 94) , "it is only to be found 

 in small troops here and there in Cape Colony. It is very doubtful 

 whether any now remain in Great Namaqualand, where, sixty years 

 ago, Sir James Alexander found them in considerable numbers. It is 

 probable that the Hottentots . . . , who are excellent shots . . . , 

 have destroyed the last remnants ... in ... Great Namaqualand. 



