132 



Quadrupeds. 



THE ZEBEA. (Equus Zebra.) 



THIS is one of the most elegantly marked quadrupeds in 

 nature. He is striped all over with the most pleasing 

 regularity ; in size he resembles the mule, being smaller 

 than the horse, and larger than the ass. The hair of his 

 skin is uncommonly smooth, and he looks at a distance 

 like an animal that some fanciful hand has surrounded 

 with ribbons of white or buff, and jet black. He is a 

 native of Southern Africa chiefly of the Cape of Good 

 Hope, where he resides amongst the mountains. In 

 these solitudes the Zebra has nothing to restrain his 

 liberty. He is too shy to be caught in traps, and there- 

 fore seldom taken alive. Were the Zebra inured to our 

 climate, there is little doubt but he might be soon 

 domesticated. The black cross which the. ass bears 

 on his back and shoulders indicates the affinity between 

 these two animals. The Zebra feeds in the same man- 

 i er as the horse, ass, and rnule ; arid seems to delight 



