20 ZOOLOGICAL 
presently “inspected and condemned” as such, 
in true military fashion, by—we know not whom. 
But we never concurred in that decision. 
Seven years ago when the Annual Report of 
the Zoological Gardens at Adelaide, South 
Australia, contained an illustration of specimens 
living there which certainly were white-legged 
Burchell Zebras, we wrote to the Director of 
those Gardens, urging the utmost diligence in 
breeding those animals, for the purpose of help- 
ing to restore a species that was almost lost. 
Four years ago the Philadelphia Zoological 
Gardens purchased of a dealer in wild animals a 
pair of zebras, with legs so nearly pure white 
that it seemed impossible to call them anything 
else than Equus burchelli, and they were so 
labeled. They have bred, but their offspring 
have about the same number of leg stripes which 
their parents possess. The young two-year-old 
stallion has three of the most beautiful shadow 
stripes that we ever saw on a zebra. 
With the arrival of the shipment brought to 
us last September from Pretoria by Mr. Haag- 
ner, we received a pair of zebras of the Burchell 
group that brought the status of burchelli on the 
carpet for a definite decision. What should we 
label them! 
The group of Burchell zebras stands as it has 
been mapped out by British zoologists. Its 
members have been divided into what are 
universally accepted in England as five sub- 
species of the parent species Equus burchelli. 
All these save one have been named after British 
naturalists or sportsmen, and they stand as 
follows: Chapman’s, Crawshay’s, Grant’s and 
Selous’, and the Damaraland antiquorum. All 
these sub-species show, by resemblances, 
their mutual relationships. Their one striking 
feature of differentiation from the Burchell 
“topotype” is the white legs of the latter, off- 
set against their legs marked, more or less 
strongly, by horizontal stripes. 
It seems to the writer that to refuse a white- 
legged zebra a dozen small and insignificant leg 
stripes without throwing it into a sub-species is 
illogical and improper. It is our judgment that 
any zebra of the Burchell group with legs that 
are 98 per cent white is a true Equus burchelli, 
and should be so labeled. We believe that we 
have two Burchell zebras, with traces of Chap- 
mani leg stripes. We believe that Philadel- 
phia, Pretoria, Rhodesia and Adelaide have 
others, and that the Burchell species is by no 
means extinct. 
In recognition of the Chapman trace in our 
specimens we have decided to label them pro- 
SOCIETY BULLETIN 
visionally 
burchelli’ 
“Chapman-Burehell Zebra,—Equus 
If there is anything in selective breeding, it 
would be an easy matter for those who own 
white-legged zebras to breed out the last vestige 
of leg stripes, and thus restore the perfect and 
immaculate Burchell. This would be absolutely 
legitimate, and we strongly recommend that this 
policy be adopted and pursued. 
The reasons why man should whenever pos- 
sible assist nature in restoring species that are 
at the vanishing point are too apparent to re- 
quire comment. 
A NEW PYTHON 
The Reptile House has been fortunate in 
receiving a fine understudy for the big python 
which has occupied the large central cage for 
over twelve years. This giant snake is old and 
for several years has been troubled by the 
attacks of parasites, brought with him from his 
native jungles, and which will ultimately cause 
his death. His length is about twenty-two feet 
and we have kept very accurate records of the 
shedding of skin and feeding periods, which 
will shortly form a scientific article in the But- 
Levin. The understudy for this spectacular 
reptile was purchased in December from a local 
dealer and measures slightly over twenty feet. 
It journeyed all the way from Singapore in a 
crate barely two feet square, in which tightly 
coiled position it remained over three months. 
The specimen is thin, but in good health and 
with a vigorous appetite. Our first care was 
to usher the reptile into a generous tank of tepid 
water. This resulted in softening several 
layers of unshed skin, from which the big fellow 
emerged in pattern like an oriental rug. A few 
months feeding will place this splendid reptile 
among the star exhibits of the Park and he 
promises to become as famous as our old speci- 
men, which is now probably the largest serpent 
on exhibition in the United States. 
IN EUROPEAN ZOOLOGICAL 
GARDENS. 
By Ler §. Cranpaur 
RARITIES 
URING the period of the great war, in- 
formation concerning the condition of 
European Zoological Gardens was un- 
certain and indefinite. Disquieting rumors of 
harrowing experiences, depressing losses and 
mysterious catastrophies, reached us through 
devious channels. But definite facts were seldom 
revealed and our knowledge has remained in- 
complete. 
