EQU 



alarmed at the contemplation of the dan- 

 ger. In a few moments, however, it 

 places its fore feet as it might be sup- 

 posed to do in the act of stopping itself, 

 and almost immediately closes its hinder 

 feet, somewhat advancing them, so as to 

 give the idea of its intention to lie down. 

 In this attitude it glides down the de- 

 scent with astonishing rapidity, yet, a- 

 miflst all its speed, retains that self go- 

 vernment, which enables it to follow, with 

 the most perfect precision, all the wind- 

 ings of the road, and to avoid every im- 

 pe i>ment to its progress and security. 

 During these singular and critical move- 

 ments, the rider must be cautious to 

 avoid the slightest check, and must de- 

 vote his attention to the preservation of 

 his seat, without deranging the equili- 

 brium of the mule, the least disordering 

 of which would be inevitably fatal. By 

 long experience on these perilous roads, 

 some mules have acquired the most ad- 

 mirable and astonishing dexterity, and 

 having been in particular requisition 

 from their extraordinary skill and fame, 

 have become a source of corresponding 

 profit to their owners. See Mammalia, 

 Plate XF. fig. 3. 



E. zebra, or the zebra, is somewhat 

 larger than the ass, and far more elegant 

 in its form, particularly with respect to 

 the head and ears. It is either of a milk 

 white or cream colour, adorned on every 

 part with brownish black stripes, run- 

 ning transversely on the limbs and body, 

 and longitudinally on the face, and ar- 

 ranged with exquisite order, and attend- 

 ed with extreme brilliancy and beauty. 

 These animals inhabit in Africa from 

 Ethiopia to the Cape of Good Hope, be- 

 tween which they exist in vast herds, 

 possessing much of the habits of the wild 

 horse and ass. Like them, they are ex- 

 tremely vigilant, and extremely fleet, 

 and so fearful of the sight of man, that, 

 >n his first appearance, they fly off with 

 all possible rapidity. They are of an 

 .intractable temper, and the attempts 

 .vhir.h have been made to domesticate 

 hem have in no instance been attended 

 with complete success. Even when tak- 

 cn young, and brought up with particula- 

 ; ur assiduity, they have yet exhibited a 

 disposition so wild and vicious, as to give 

 lime hope that this beautiful race of 

 creatures will ever eventually be of 

 jreat service to mankind. Our slight 

 acquaintance, however, with them, would 

 vender a positive decision to this pur- 

 pose exceedingly premature. Should 

 the zebra ever be made safely and 



ERI 



easily convertible to the same purposes 

 as the horse, an elegant variety would 

 be added to the luxuries of the great 

 and opulent. See Mammalia, Plate XT. 

 fig. 4. 



E. quagga, is marked with fewer 

 stripes than the zebra, and those few of 

 a browner colour and larger size. The 

 hinder parts of this animal are not strip- 

 ed, but spotted. It is found in Africa, is 

 gregarious, extremely fleet, and more 

 tractable than the last species, so much 

 so indeed, that by the Dutch settlers at 

 the Cape it has been occasionally em- 

 ployed for the purposes both of draught 

 and saddle. The same parts of Africa 

 abound both in the quagga and the zebra, 

 but the two species are never seen toge- 

 ther. 



E. bisulcus, or the huemel, is a native 

 of South America, particularly of the rug- 

 ged districts of the Andes. It resembles 

 the ass in general form, and the horse in 

 voice, and in the smallness and neatness 

 of its ears; it is distinguished from both, 

 and from every other known species of 

 the equine genus, by having a divided 

 hoof, and constitutes a link between the 

 cloven-hoofed and whole-hoofed quadru- 

 peds. 



ERECTOR. See AVATOMY. 



ERICA, in botany, heath, a genus of 

 the Octandria Monogynia class and or- 

 der. Natural order of Bicornes. Ericx, 

 Jussieu. Essential character : calyx four- 

 leaved ; corolla four-cleft ; filaments in- 

 serted into the receptacle ; anthers clo- 

 ven ; capsule four-celled. There are 

 eighty-four species. These are small 

 shrubs. Their leaves are linear, lanceo- 

 late, or ovate, imbricate or remote, en- 

 tire, ciliate or serrate, in some opposite, 

 in most whorled, in others again scatter- 

 ed ; bractes usually three ; the flowers 

 are either axillary or terminating, and 

 variously disposed ; corolla mostly of a 

 purple colour ; anthers usually oblong, 

 though sometimes linear ; germ in most 

 species smooth. 



ERIDVNUS, in astronomy, a constel- 

 lation of the southern hemisphere ; cpn- 

 taining, according to different authors, 

 19, 30, or even 68 stars. 



ERIGERON, in botany, a genus of the 

 Syngenesia Poiygamia Superflua class 

 and order. Natural order of Composite 

 Discoidecc. Corymbiferse, Jussieu. Es- 

 sential character : receptacle naked ; 

 down hairy ; corolla of. the ray linear, 

 and very narrow There are thirty spe- 

 cies. The Erigeron pulchellum, an Ame- 

 rican species, is said to be one of the 



