]X GENERAL INTRODUCTION. 



white Iceland pony, e.g., instead of being light in colour, 

 as I anticipated, is for the most pai't of a dark dun colour, 

 with but indistinct stripes. The hoofs, mane, ^-nd tail of 

 the hybrids are at the most intermediate, but this is perhaps 

 partly owing to reversion towards the ancestors of their 

 respective dams. In their disposition and habits they 

 all undoubtedly agree more with the wild sire. How 

 could it be otherwise ? However hard the life of many 

 of our horses may be, they know little of the real 

 struggle for existence which counts for so much amongst 

 their wild relatives. If they lack intelligence, and 

 readily submit their backs to the burden, they are all 

 the more thought of. In the wild state the wits are 

 kept shai'pened, and the life-saving instincts maintained 

 at a high standard. It is doubtless for this reason the 

 hybrids in their mental equipments are more zebras than 

 horses ; in the one case the instincts have been kept at a 

 high state of efficiency, in the other they have been 

 neglected. Nevertheless the wild parent is not invariably 

 all-powerful in moulding the character of the hybrids. 

 This is well illustrated by the three zebra-hybrids bred 

 some years ago by Lady Meux at Theobald's Park, 

 Hertfordshire. These hybrids are by different sires, but 

 all out of the same zebra mare. The oldest of the three, 

 by an English pony, is of a yellowish-brown colour, and 

 but faintly striped. With the exception of the legs, the 

 hog mane, and mulish tail, this hybrid in make is very 

 like a small stoutly built cob. Moreover it is very 

 docile and unexcitable. The second eldest is brilliantly 

 and richly decorated with brown stripes over a bright 

 bay background. The sire in this case was, it is said, 

 an American pony. Again, there are zebra legs, a 

 somewhat stout body, a plain head, and a short neck, 

 but in disposition this hybrid is a zebra. The third 

 hybrid is only very faintly and partially striped, and in 

 most respects it takes after the sire, a small wall-eyed, 

 light bay Highland or Shetland pony. 



To mention yet another case. A zebra-donkey hybrid 

 out of a zebra mare is, in many respects, far more an ass 



