82 ZEBRAS, HORSES, AND HYBRIDS 



throwing back to a previous sire is derived from the 

 crossing of different species of the Equidae, it was 

 desirable to repeat the experiment of Lord Morton. 

 This is now unfortunately impossible, because the 

 quagga is extinct. The zebra is, however, still with 

 us, and the mating of a zebra stallion with every 

 variety of horse, pony, and ass, and subsequently 

 putting the dam to pure-bred sires, has been the more 

 important part of the numerous experiments carried 

 on in the Midlothian village some ten miles south- 

 west of Edinburgh. 



Before considering in detail the result of the experi- 

 ments it will be necessary to say a few words on the 

 question of the various species of zebra ; and since, 

 like Weismann, Professor Ewart explains certain of 

 the phenomena attributed to telegony by reversion, 

 it will be as well to inquire how far reversion is 

 known amongst the Equidae, and what evidence we 

 have that the ancestor of the horse was striped. 



Matopo, the zebra stallion from which Professor 

 Ewart had, some eight years ago, bred eleven zebra- 

 hybrids from mares of various breeds and sizes, 

 belongs to the widely distributed group of Burchell's 

 zebras. Many sub-species or varieties are included in 

 this group, which, as regards the pattern of the stripes, 

 passes in certain varieties found in Nyassaland into 

 the second species, the mountain zebra, once common 

 in South Africa. The third species is the Grevy's 

 zebra of Shoa and Somaliland; it is probably this 

 species which attracted so much attention in the 

 Roman amphitheatres during the third century of our 

 era. A pair of Somali zebras were presented to the 

 late Queen some years ago by the Emperor Menelik, 

 and for a time were lodged in the Zoological Gardens, 

 Regent's Park. This species measures about fifteen 

 hands high, is profusely striped, and stands well apart 

 from the other two groups. It is important to note 



