88 Great and Small Game of Africa 



under exceptional conditions. As already mentioned, they not infrequently 

 mix together ; and it is common to see one stallion Grevy's among a troop 

 of Burchell's — the latter probably likewise all males. The contrast 

 between the two when thus seen side by side is very marked ; the 

 upstanding form of the bigger animal appears quite twice the size of the 

 others, the comparison being on a par with that offered by a horse among 

 a lot of ponies. The two kinds do not seem to quarrel, but the stallions of 

 each fight viciously among themselves for possession of the mares, biting 

 each other like horses or donkeys, and their necks are often covered with 

 scars made by the teeth of their rivals. 



Whether there is, in this part of Africa, more than one variety of the 

 Equus burchelli I am not prepared to say for certain. I have sometimes 

 thought that there were local forms differing somewhat in widely separated 

 regions. But, whether or not, there can be no specific distinction. They 

 are all striped to the hoofs, and though there is commonly no " shadow 

 stripe " discernible, I have a foetal skin which exhibits that peculiarity 

 slightly but perceptibly. 



Zebras, especially Grevy's, are sometimes very hard to get near in the 

 open, and can only be shot by careful and arduous stalking ; at others they 

 will approach of their own accord within shot of a caravan, and even stand 

 and stare at it before starting off again in alarm. 



The mares of both kinds get extremely fat when in foal, and most 

 Africans are very partial to the meat. The natives sometimes shoot zebra 

 with poisoned arrows, and occasionally take one in their fall-traps. Other 

 tribes catch them now and again with the noose and wheel snare, 

 mentioned as used for topi hartebeest by the El Gume. 



This is another animal, like the rhinoceros, which must drink 

 regularly every day, and consequently it is never found in absolutely water- 

 less country, though it will wander considerable distances in search of 

 pasture, and is attracted far and wide by young grass. On the Sabaki 



