species and Subspecies of Zebras. 37 



^lost of the distinctive charactera of this species are well 

 known. 



The liead, neck, body, and le^s are closely covered with 

 broad black stripes, which are considerably broa ler than the 

 pale interspaces. Except for the longitudinal ventral band, 

 the belly is white, the flank-stripes stopping short of the 

 belly as in the quagga, Burciiell's zebra, and Grevy's zebra. 

 The spinal stripe is scarcely noticeable on the back, but 

 broadens on the rump and is continued on to the tail, which 

 has a black tip but is without distinct lateral markings. The 

 legs are strongly striped to the hoof, the lower part of the 

 pastern being quite black, and on the inner side are orna- 

 mented from above the knees and hocks. On the rump the 

 space between the spinal stripe and the stripe that runs to the 

 root of the tail is entirely covered with transverse bars, forming 

 a contiimous series with the upper ends of the flank-stripes, 

 and becoming shorter and shorter towards the root of tlie 

 tail. This constitutes the so-called " gridiron pattern " 

 characteristic of this species. A similar pattern, however, 

 though on a smaller scale, is not unfrequently noticeable in 

 subspecies of E. Burchelli; but in the latter the aforesaid 

 transverse bars do not reach the stripe that runs to the base of 

 the tail, but the uppermost of the rump-stripes that passes 

 backwards from the flanks and lies adjacent to the spinal 

 stripe. The quarters are banded with arched longitudinal 

 stripes, but only the lower or front ends of the two upper- 

 most of these extend on to the belly. On the face in front of 

 the eyes and on the forehead the stripes are tan-coloured and 

 pass into the large nostril-patches of the same tint, the muzzle 

 itself being black. 



The ears are long and asinine, the feet narrow and fitted 

 for rocky country ; and, lastly, there is one curious structural 

 feature in which this species differs not only from the other 

 zebras but from all the species of Equida — this is the reversal 

 in direction of the hair along the spine between the rump and 

 withers. 



Though formerly abundant in the mouTitainous districts of 

 Cape Colony, this species is now verging on extinction. 

 Happily, however, the artificial preservation of herds has 

 postponed, at all events for a time, this inevitable result of 

 the encroachment of civilization. 



(2) Equus quagga^ Gmelin. 



Equus quagga, Gmelin's edition of Liang's Syst. Nat. i., Mammalia, 



p. 213 (1788). 

 ? Equus isahelUnus, H. Smith, Naturalist's Library, Horses, p. 332 



pi. XXV. (1841). 



