278 THE BOOK OF THE ANIMAL KINGDOM 



holds in South Africa especially in the Transvaal but it is still a 

 common inhabitant "on the plains of the Chobi and Zambesi, as well 

 as in East Africa," and is to be met with in far from scanty numbers 

 elsewhere on the great continent. But it is certainly not new to 

 Science ! 



Burchell's Zebra attains a height of about four feet to four feet 

 six inches, and is both taller and stouter than the much rarer 

 Mountain species shortly to be described. The ears, too, are shorter, 

 but the mane is heavier, the tail is more profusely haired, and the 

 gridiron marks on the back of the Mountain Zebra are not possessed 

 by this species. 



Although in both animals shown in Fig. 218 the legs are striped 

 for almost the entire length, in the typical form of this beast there 

 are no markings on this part of the body. Burchell's Zebra is any 

 colour from white to yellowish-brown, the stripes being either black 

 or dark-brown. 



There seems little doubt that Zebras are well protected when 

 tenanting certain environments, more especially, it is recorded, 

 "when standing on sandy ground in full moonlight," but at other 

 times the grand picture presented by a herd of these fine creatures 

 quietly browsing, and heedless of the approach of an observer, has 

 been commented upon by some of those who have had the good 

 fortune to see them in their own native homes. 



Grant's Zebra (Fig. 219), as has already been mentioned, is 

 considered by many authorities as a variety of the last-named, and it 

 does not call for special mention, excepting to direct attention to the 

 way in which the legs are marked right down to the hoofs. 



GREVY'S ZEBRA. This species (Fig. 220), it is true, has not 

 been discovered many years, and is an inhabitant of certain moun- 

 tainous parts of Africa, outside which continent, of course, no Zebra 

 is found. Gravy's Zebra is not so stoutly built as the other kinds, 

 but, like the animal next to be described, it has the legs well striped 

 all the way down, as well as prominent ears, and an absence of 

 markings underneath the body, as the photograph clearly indicates. 

 This species has a long mane and a well-haired tail, whilst the 

 stripes upon the body are very profuse, and easily outvie those 

 possessed by both Burchell's and the Mountain species. The 

 stripes and streaks, moreover, are not so broad, and the first-named 

 are deep black in colour. A still further distinguishing feature that 

 is worthy of note is the make-up of the stripes, for an examination 



