Burchell's and Grevy's Zebra 85 



On the other hand, Grevy's zebra is quite unlike any of them. 



He is a very much larger and more powerful animal, with more horse- 

 like action ; but his cry, which is altogether different, is more asinine, and 

 his ears are larger and wider than those of the smaller species. It is 

 unnecessary to give a detailed description of the colouring of Grevy's 

 zebra, but the arrangement of the stripes is very different from what it 

 is in any of the others ; and they are so narrow and so close together, that 

 at a considerable distance the animal appears to be of a uniform dun colour. 

 With regard to the difference between the paces of the two species, I may 

 quote what I have said in Elephant Hunting in East Equatorial Africa ; — 



" The small zebras, when alarmed, start off at a short donkey canter, 

 the legs appearing to be kept very upright, and unless hard pressed, do not 

 ' lay themselves out ' at all. Grevy's starts off at a trot, with free, high 

 action, and its movements recall those of the horse rather than the ass. Its 

 head is held high, too, while the other keeps a more horizontal position of 

 the neck." 



Again, with regard to their voices ; the cry of Burchell's — indistinguish- 

 able in all the varieties — is a succession of melodious barks in double or 

 triple notes, while that of Grevy's I have described in the book above 

 quoted from as " a very hoarse kind of grunt, varied by something approach- 

 ing to a whistle," the grunts being long-drawn-out and divided by the 

 shrill whistling sound, as if the latter were made by drawing in the breath 

 which had been expelled during the sustained grunt. 



Zebras, like all the genus, are very fond of rolling in the dust, choosing 

 by preference spots bare of grass for the purpose. 



The dimensions of some I have measured were as follows : — 

 Grevy's 3 height at withers from 4 feet 9^ inches to 4 feet 1 1 inches. 



„ girth behind shoulder from 5 feet 6 inches to 5 feet 9^ inches. 

 Burchell's 3 height at withers 3 feet 11 inches (two specimens). 

 „ girth behind shoulder 4 feet 10 inches. 



