200 THE HORSE AND ITS RELATIVES 



East Africa, which appear to represent a variety 

 of boehmi, show a kind of ' ' gridiron-pattern " on 

 the upper surface of the hind-quarters, which at 

 first sight seems to recall the more distinct gridiron 

 of the typical zebra. In these East African 

 bontequaggas the middle spinal stripe is, however, 

 completely isolated throughout its length, and the 

 semblance of a gridiron-pattern is due to the partial 

 breaking up and fusion of the uppermost pair of 

 long oblique stripes traversing the quarters. 



In certain bontequaggas from the Gwasengishu 

 plateau of British East Africa, the forelock is 

 entirely wanting, and the mane, except for a small 

 tuft in advance of the withers, is reduced to the 

 same condition as in a hog-maned polo-pony, thereby 

 presenting a peculiar appearance, quite different 

 from that of an ordinary bontequagga or zebra. 

 The backs of the ears are almost wholly white. 

 A similar peculiarity is observable in a bontequagga 

 skin from the Lake Mweru district in the British 

 Museum, and, according to Mr. Selous, the same 

 feature characterises all the bontequaggas of the 

 Gwasengishu district, at any rate during the season 

 of the year when they came under his observation. 

 These belong to the Masai race (granti), which 

 was originally described from the Athi plains of 

 East Africa. Some at least of the Athi zebras 

 appear to have very little mane, but their ears have 

 dark markings. On the other hand, a specimen 



