THE BUFFALO— THE ZEBRA 97 



as it did so the bull at which I had first fired. He 

 was quite dead when I examined him, my bullet 

 having fortunately found the heart. 



The charge which I sustained from the mis- 

 guided cow has always been a profound mystery 

 to me. She was a young animal, in good con- 

 dition, unaccompanied by any calf, and, so far as 

 I could ascertain, quite unwounded by any pre- 

 vious hunter. This incident, therefore, affords 

 additional evidence of the uncertainty of conduct 

 which these beasts at a given moment will adopt, 

 and is, I think, a complete answer to the con- 

 tentions of some writers who have stated that 

 buffaloes never charge in open country unless 

 wounded or at close quarters. 



Of the three distinct species of Zebras which, 

 so far as our present knowledge extends, are 

 found in the various portions of the African 

 continent, the only member of this beautiful 

 family of the horses found in East and South 

 Central Africa is that so widely known as 

 Burchell's Zebra. Of course, in stating that there 

 are only three varieties of this animal, I am in- 

 fluenced by a desire, so far as possible, to avoid 

 confusion and technicality. We know quite well 

 that, of Burchell's variety alone, scientists, whose 

 prevailing peculiarity it seems to be to endeavour, 

 in so far as they can, to render confusion many 

 times worse confounded, have identified no less 

 than four subdivisions, and these have been 

 accepted and established ; but as this book is 

 intended for the information of the unscientific 

 reader, who cares but little for " shadow-stripes " 



