-*> Zebras 



no amount of breaking-in with the use of the whip would 

 serve to demonstrate that they are tameable, in the true 

 sense of the word. Never for one instant do thev go 



f O 



forward willingly ; instead, they offer resistance at every 

 stage, working against the bit with their extraordinarily 

 strong lower jaws. Ponies are used to coach them, their 

 natural sociability favouring this arrangement. In the 

 same way in southern countries, when three, four, or 

 more mules are harnessed in line, in ninety-nine cases 

 out of a hundred they will only work with a horse at 

 their head as leader. 



In the case of zebras harnessed together with ponies 

 in tour-in-hands (in England and elsewhere) the animals 

 are always halt-ted specimens, and are not made to do 

 much work. They are really not beasts of burden. The 

 whole thing is merely a game, so to speak. The zebra, 

 indeed, is not built for work. The only genuine species 

 of wild horse living in Inner Asia, the Equus przevalskii^ 

 has a very favourable build. My opinion on this point 

 accords entirely with that of the most distinguished living 

 expert in these matters, Count Lehndorff, with whom I 

 discussed them once while we were visiting together 

 the zebras and wild horses of the Berlin Zoological 



O 



Gardens. 



Up till now it has been impossible to train zebras ii} 

 the way lions, tigers, and other such wild animals have 

 been trained, yet I do not hesitate to affirm that these 

 beasts of prey are less dangerous to handle than the 

 zebras with their fearful bite. 



The character of our cold-blooded horse has been 



339 



