Mr. E. L. Layard on a new Zebra. 215 



Mundakyum, Alipi, in Southern Malabar, who gives the following 

 note on the species (J. A. S. B. xxviii. p. 289) : — 



" I was ignorant of the existence of this animal till about a year 

 ago, when I found it in a range of hills about 3000 feet high. It 

 lives in the clefts of the rocks and hollow trees, is said to hoard ears 

 of grain and roots, seldom comes into the native huts, and in that par- 

 ticular neighbourhood the hill-men tell me they are very numerous. 

 I know they are to be found in the rocky mountains of Travancore ; 

 but I never met with them in the plains." 



May 9, 1865.— Dr. J. E. Gray, F.R.S., in the Chair. 



The following extracts were read from a letter addressed to Dr. J. 

 E. Gray by Mr. E. L. Layard, of Cape Town, Corr. Memb. : — 



" I send you herewith figures and descriptions of a new species of 

 Zebra. You have had a skin sent you* which you rejected as a 

 • stray specimen of F. montanus, which had got down on the plains 

 and had been shot by accident 'f. I am sure you will, on perusal 

 of these notes, alter your opinion ; and I shall be obliged to you to 

 read them at the Zoological Society. I wish to name the animal 

 Equus Chapmanni, after its discoverer, my friend James Chapman, 

 who has done so much for African discovery, and who has hitherto 

 reaped no reward. I send you photographs of a horse and a mare 

 of this Zebra in different positions to show the markings, which differ 

 entirely from those of E. montanus (vel E. Zebra) in the union of all 

 the black stripes with a medial one on the belly ; also on the back, 

 in wanting the * gridiron ' pattern, as Baines calls it, on the rump. 

 I also send coloured sketches by Baines to show the colour. This 

 new animal also differs from the other Zebras in having the callo- 

 sities on the legs far larger and of a more rounded shape, in having 

 shorter and more equine ears, measuring only 6|- inches instead of 

 11^, and in having a shorter and more equine head and tail. The 

 hoofs also are flatter than in E. montanus, and not adapted for 

 mountain-work. The mane grows several inches down on the fore- 

 head, and stands up between the ears, so that when seen in full face 

 it stands far higher than them. Cliapman and Baines give the di- 

 mensions of several individuals ; and all who have seen them here, 

 who are competent to judge from knowing the other species well, at 

 once detect the differences. I am quite convinced of them myself; 

 and, if you still doubt, please read this letter and the notes, and ex- 

 hibit the drawings, to the Zoological Society in my name. They roam 

 in large herds, and are first met with about 200 miles from the 

 coast inwards on leaving Walwich Bay, where Equus montanus (or 

 rather a variety of that animal) prevails. I add some extracts from 



* The skin sent me by Mr. Baines arrived in bad condition, with scarcely any 

 hair on it. It was that of a very young animal, and I could not see any differ- 

 ence, as far as I could judge in its very bad state, from that of a young Common 

 Zebra.— J. E. G. 



t I have no recollection of having ipade such a statement as the latter part of 

 this quotation — .J. E. G. 



