ORDEK PERISSODACTYLA I ODD-TOED UNGULATES 345 



western Angola at least as far as Elephant Bay, 100 miles north of 

 Mossamedes, where, however, it is not found more than 30 miles 

 inland. Shortridge (1934, vol. 1, pp. 390-396) has gathered together 

 the available information concerning it in this region. The eastern 

 limits are found in the Kaokoveld about a hundred miles from the 

 west coast. Here it is sometimes found in association with the Bonte- 

 quagga (E. burchellii antiquorum) but is much fewer in numbers. It 

 is partial to the crests of arid gorges, and its small cupped hoofs 

 are adapted for rough country. Large numbers are said to be found 

 in the Omaruru and the Maltahohe districts, but elsewhere they are 

 less common. Steinhardt saw them digging for water in sandy river 

 beds of this arid country, making pits half a meter deep. They may 

 not drink regularly but sometimes keep away from water as long as 

 three days. They are shy and suspicious and difficult to approach 

 under usual conditions. The Cape Mountain Zebra is believed to be 

 a slow breeder, with foal every second year or so. The period of 

 gestation is said to be about twelve months. The height at the 

 shoulder is said to be in hartmannae about 52 to 54.5 inches, hence 

 somewhat taller than the typical race. 



G.M. A. 



Nubian Wild Ass. Nubischer Wildesel (Ger.) 



ASINUS ASINUS AFRICANUS Fitzinger 



Asinus ajricanus Fitzinger, Naturgesch. Saugethiere, vol. 3, p. 667, 1857. 

 (Lydekker (1916, vol. 5, p. 38) gives the type locality as "Nubia (accord- 

 ing to Matschie, Erythraea) .") 



SYNONYM: ? 'Asinus asinus dianae Dollman (1935). 



FIGS.: Proc. Zool. Soc. London 1884, pi. 50, fig. 2, 1885; Lydekker, 1904, 

 pi. 20, 1912, pi. 20, fig. 2, and 1916, vol. 5, p. 37, fig. 16; Antonius, 1929, 

 p. 290, fig. 1; Zammarano, 1930, p. 87, fig. 



This subspecies is "by no means common" (Brocklehurst, 1931, 

 p. 15). 



"General colour of upper-parts greyish-fawn, with the muzzle, a 

 broad ring round each eye, . . . and the under-parts, white or 

 whitish ; the legs being of the same pale hue, with some greyish on the 

 front surface, and a few small dark spots on each side of the fetlocks. 

 The mane ... is short, upright, and dark brown or blackish .... 

 The narrow dorsal stripe ... is continued as a thin line well on to 

 the tail"; the two branches of the shoulder stripe are about 5-6 

 inches in length. "The long hairs of the terminal tail-tuft ... are 

 mingled black and grey. The ears are about 10J in. in length, and 

 are black at their tips .... On the inner side of the lower part of 

 the fore-leg is a chestnut patch." Height of male at shoulder, 45^ to 

 47i inches. (Lydekker, 1904, p. 594.) Baker (1867, p. 56) gives the 

 height of a male from the Atbara River as 55-56 inches. 



