320 Mr. R. I. Pocock on 



extremely useful by patient training ; yet abundant as they 

 are in the country, there are few instances of their being put to 

 harness. They are stronger than the mule, live hardily, and 

 are never out of flesh. They are variously marked ; some 

 Avith waved stripes on the neck only, others with bands 

 across the shoulder, others marked on the haunches, somewhat 

 like the Zebra, which gave rise to an idea that was long 

 entertained of its being the female of that animal ; from 

 which, however, it differs in almost every particular, except 

 in the stripes, being in its shape infinitely more beautiful. 

 The large head, the long ears, and the slender legs of the 

 Zebra partake very much of the character of the common 

 ass. The mane of the Qaahkah is curious, appearing as if 

 trimmed by art. This animal is found on all the plains 

 behind the first range of mountains beyond the Cape 

 Peninsula." 



This passage, written twenty years before the description of 

 JE. Bui'chelli was published, and at a time when, apart from 

 vague pre-Linnaean records, only two species of striped 

 African horses were known in Europe — namely E. zehra^ 

 Linn., and E. quagga, Gmelin, — shows that Daniell was 

 acquainted with certain equine forms resembling, if not 

 identical with, some of the known subspecies of Burcliell'a 

 Quagga in markings, form, and habitat. It is significant 

 that with an artist's eye he regarded them all as " Quahkahs.'^ 



That Daniell was familiar with Cape Colony as far north 

 as the Orange River, and at least as far east as Algoa Bay 

 and Caffraria, is established by the letterpress and plates 

 of his volume. He also visited Bechuanaland, where no 

 doubt he met with the typical form of Burchelli and possibly 

 also with E. antiquorum *. 



The Quagga figured by Cornwallis Harris so closely 

 resembles the one figured by Daniell as to need no de- 

 scription. Hamilton Smith's illustration, however, depicts 



* According to the 'Diet. National Biography,' Samuel Daniell 

 joined a mission for exploring Bechuanaland in 1801, in the capacity of 

 Secretary and draughtsman ; and in the preface to ' Sketches representing 

 the Nature, Tribes, Animals, and Scenery of Southern Africa from 

 drawings made by the late Samuel Daniell,' 1820, William Daniell, 

 his brother, says of him : " In order to extend the field of his 

 research he went to the Cape of Good Hope, from whence he accom- 

 panied Dr. Somerville on two expeditions into the interior of the country 

 .... It was his constant care to see the animals alive, that he might 

 make himself master of their actions and habits." With this information, 

 so strong in confiimation of the evidence supplied by his own work, it is 

 impossible to doubt that Daniell's statements were based upon actual 

 experience and his figures derived from personal observation. 



