332 Mil. G. BLAINE ON THE ZEBRAS 



Mossauiedes is composed of their joivied-up tracks. These Zebras 

 do not run in large herds, eight being an average number in a 

 herd. They graze in tlie mornings and afternoons on the tufted 

 grass tliat grows on the plains and on the lower slopes of the hills, 

 sheltering from the sun during the heat of the day under thorn- 

 bushes, where they doze away the mid-day hours. They are not 

 very watchful, nor does there appear to be a sentry in a herd, but 

 when alarmed, they make oft' at once, and, unlike the Bonte 

 Quagga, do not stop to look back until they have gone a long 

 distance. They then retire up one of their numerous paths in 

 single file, and then disappear over the sky-line into another part 

 of the country, Dviring the night they make their way towards 

 the coast to drink at one of the rock-pools of brackish water in 

 the lower reaches of some damba. 



Mr. Tyler Thompson has described to me how, when first he 

 vi^ent to Elephant Bay, the Zebras used nightly to drink at the 

 fresh-water pool under the clifi". Led by an old stallion, the herd 

 would come down at a gallop and halt just short of the water on 

 the plain, wliile he would continue his career up the side of the 

 cliS" to take his stand upon some point of vantage overlooking the 

 water. Having satisfied himself that no danger was present, he 

 would signal " all clear" with a low neigh, when the herd would 

 go down to the water. While they were drinking he would 

 remain at his post, and descend to drink himself when they had 

 all retired. No doubt this precaution was necessary, as lions had 

 often been known to visit the bay at night. It is curious that 

 most of the fresh water in this country is found at or near 

 sea-level, and the water in the da,mbas, where it approaches 

 the surface, may be fresh on one side and brackish on the 

 other. 



During the season of light rains when I was hunting in these 

 parts, herds of the local race of Bonte Quagga (Eqtivs quagga 

 antiquorum) came down from the interior for the fine grass, and 

 were often seen on the same plain with herds of Equus zebra 

 hartmanvm, but never associating together. The latter do not 

 go about in large herds, from six to tw^elve being the ususl number, 

 thoxigh as many as twenty have been seen together, which is 

 unusual. Old stallions are often solitary. 



Even at a distance the two species appear quite rlifierent ; for 

 whereas the Bonte Quagga is a conspicuous and by no means 

 harmonious object, looking black or smoky grey against the 

 prevailing tone of the country, this Zebra * never appears dark in 

 any position in relation to the light, but always either white, pale 

 grey, or reddish-sand colour. When standing against a back- 

 ground of rocks of which the prevailing tones are various shades 

 of warm grey, the outline melts away and the whole animal looks 

 transparent, the stripes dissolving into pale shadows. 



* In a shot specimen of Equns hartmanncB the ground-colour of the dorsal suvfate 

 was noticed to be exactlj' the same shade of pale reddish ochre as the sand on which 

 it was lying. 



