178 



EQUINE. MAMMALIA. EQUI 



to have returned to this state from that of a more or 

 less complete form of domestication. Of the several 

 characters which specifically distinguish the horse from 

 its congeners, it is perhaps only necessary to particu- 

 larize the " flowing mane and flying long-haired tail," 

 associated with a pair of moderately developed ears, 

 and callosities both on the fore and hind legs. In the 

 wild state the head is larger than in the finer domes- 

 ticated breeds. "The horse," says Mr. Rarey, "accord- 

 ing to the best accounts we can gather, has been the 

 constant servant of man for nearly four thousand years, 

 ever rewarding him with his labour, and adding to his 

 comfort in proportion to his skill and manner of using 

 him ; being to those who govern him by brute force, 

 and know nothing of the beauty and delight fa be gained 

 from the cultivation of his finer nature, a fretful, vicious, 

 and often dangerous servant ; whilst to the Arab, whose 

 horse is the pride of his life, and who governs him by 

 the law of kindness, we find him to be quite a different 

 animal. The manner in which he is treated from a 

 foal, gives him an affection and attachment for his 

 master, not known in any other country. The Arab 

 and his children, the mare and her foal, inhabit the 

 tent together; and although the colt and the mare's 

 neck are often pillows for the children to roll upon, no 

 accident ever occurs, the mare being as careful of the 

 children as of the colt. Such is the mutual attachment 

 between the horse and his master, that he will leave 

 his companions at his master's call, ever glad to obey 



his voice. And when the Arab falls from his horse, 

 and is unable to rise again, he will stand by him and 

 neigh for assistance ; and if he lies down to sleep, as 

 fatigue sometimes compels him to do in the midst of 

 the desert, his faithful steed will watch over him, and 

 neigh to arouse him if man or beast approaches. The 

 Arabs frequently teach their horses secret signs or 

 signals, which they make use of on urgent occasions to 

 call forth their utmost exertions." These are the words 

 of the master and author of "The Modern Art of taming 

 wild Horses." Few men have done more to perfect 

 the method of treating this gifted animal than has Mr. 

 J. S. Rarey; but space compels us to desist from 

 enlarging on a subject, to which special Works are 

 necessarily devoted. 



THE QTTAGGA (Hippotigris Quagga}. If naturalists 

 are prepared to admit the propriety of generically 

 separating the horse from the ass, we may respect the 

 opinion of Colonel Hamilton Smith, who has considered 

 the zebras worthy of similar distinction. Their char- 

 acters are evidently osculant between the two above- 

 mentioned animals; and we are not prepared to accept 

 the opinion of those who believe that their asinine 

 features maintain the ascendancy. The Quagga is a 

 native of South Africa, and is especially abundant on 

 the open plains below the Vaal river, where it herds in 

 immense numbers. The ears and tail are decidedly 

 equine ; the neck is furnished with an erect mane, banded 

 alternately brown and white. The upper parts of the 



Fig. 67. 



The Qnagga (Hippotigris Quagga). 



hide are rufous-brown ; the head, neck, and shoulders 

 being lined with dark stripes, which become fainter 

 as they approach the middle of the back. The chest, 

 belly, legs, and tail, except at the root, are quite white. 

 If there be preponderance on either side, surely these 



characters lean rather to the equine than the asinine 

 group. All along naturalists have exhibited singular 

 discrepancies of opinion in regard to this animal. It is 

 now many years since the Zoological Society's Gardens 

 first displayed living examples of the Quagga ; but, as 



