86 BIG GAME SHOOTING 



and shoulders, the markings disappearing towards the 

 middle of the barrel. 



The Mountain zebra is an animal of somewhat 

 local distribution, whose chief habitat has always lain 

 among the wild mountain ranges of Southern Africa. 

 On the most inaccessible parts of these sierras, at 

 altitudes varying from 2000 to 6000 feet, the 

 mountain zebra makes its home. It is a short-legged, 

 compact, strongly knit beast, standing about 12 or 

 12^ hands at the withers, and striped upon a silvery 

 white or ochreous-white ground with black or 

 blackish- brown markings. The stomach is pure 

 white. The markings run down to the hoofs, the 

 legs being very beautifully and evenly banded. The 

 ears are long and the tail is more donkey-like than 

 in the case of Burchell's zebra. These splendid 

 equines are of extraordinarily active habits, galloping 

 about the cliffs and roughest parts of the mountains 

 they adorn, with a freedom and recklessness that 

 seem positively astounding. I have watched them in 

 their wild career in such habitats, with amazement 

 and admiration. They are as sure-footed as goats 

 and seldom if ever come to grief. Leopards occasion- 

 ally take tribute from their foals, and in very severe 

 frost and snow they will sometimes perish from cold 

 upon the higher ranges. Otherwise they have only 

 to fear the bullets of mankind. From much persecu- 

 tion, these animals have become very scarce, and in 

 Cape Colony, where they yet linger in various ranges 

 notably the Zwartberg, Witteberg, Great Winter- 

 hoek, Tandtjesberg, and Sneeuwberg they are now 



