THE ZEBRA. 17$ 



the fpecies. I am ftill inclined to think, how- 

 ever, that the zebra approaches nearer to the 

 horfe than the afs ; for his figure is io elegant, 

 that though, in general, he is fmaller than the 

 horfe, the fimilarities between them, in other re- 

 flects, are very apparent. To confirm this o- 

 pinion, it has been remarked, with fome degree 

 of furprife, that, in the neighbourhood of the 

 Cape of Good Hope, which appears to be the 

 native country of the zebra, there are horfes 

 fpotted on the back and belly with yellow, black, 

 red, and azure*. This particular argument is 

 fupported by the general fact, that, in all cli- 

 mates, the colour of the horfe varies more than 

 that of the afs. We pretend not to decide this 

 queftion ; but we hope it will foon be determi- 

 ned. As the Dutch have lately tranfported great 

 numbers of thefe elegant animals, and have even 

 yoked them in the Stadtholder's chariot, it is pro- 

 bable, that, in a lhort time, we ihall receive in- 

 formation of every thing relating to their nature. 

 That induftrious nation cannot fail to make thefe 

 animals unite among themfelves, and perhaps 

 with horfes and ailes, in order to produce direct 

 or baftard races. In Holland, there are feveral 

 expert naturalifts who will perhaps lucceed bet- 

 ter than we did in the multiplication of the ze- 

 bra, upon which only a fingle experiment was 

 made at the royal menagery in the year lyGi, 

 The male, which was four years of age, difdain- 

 Vol. VI. S ed 



* Capteui Robert's voyage, torn. : . p. 94. 



