GENERAL INTKODDCTION. xvii 



"■ water-marks " and faint stripes over the hind quarters 

 as well as the characteristic hybrid stripes and rows of 

 spots. We had, as it were, a double photograph showing* 

 faintly the markings which seem to belong to the ancestors 

 of the true horses, overlying stripes and spots presumably 

 inherited from the ancestors of the zebras. In other 

 words, in the markings of Black Agnes we seem to have 

 a reversion towards the ancestors of the dam as well as 

 the sire.* Whether any vestiges of the double printing 

 will be visible next spring it is impossible to say. 



All unexpected event this summer was the birth of 

 twin hybrids — a colt and filly. Unfortunately one of 

 the twins, the filly, though well developed and perfect in 

 every way, died almost as soon as it was born. The dam 

 of the twins is a 14-2 hands thoroughbred, light chest- 

 nut mare, with high withers and a prominent breast-bone. 

 The surviving twin, though striped like Romulus, re- 

 sembles his dam in the body colour, but he will probably 

 become darker as he gets older. He already, though in 

 many ways like a zebra, looks quite different from his 

 half-sister Black Agnes. But, however much they differ 

 in appearance, they closely resemble each other in their 

 attitudes and movements. Like a hinny foal (a hybrid 

 between an ass and a Welsh pony stallion) they step high 

 when trotting, and if any one is near, the head is carried 

 nearly on a level with the neck but to one side, apparently 

 that they may keep an eye on the intruder. At the 

 gallop the head is carried in the middle line, but as soon 

 as they break into a trot the head is moved from one side 

 to another by way of determining the position of the 

 possible enemy. It has been said the gallop is the 

 natural pace of the horse. This I very much doubt ; it 

 is certainly not the ordinary pace of a zebra. When 

 pursued by enemies, and when advancing to attack a 

 rival, zebras move at the gallop, but under ordinary cir- 

 cumstances they proceed at a leisurely dignified trot. 



* In zcbra-ass hybrids tlie spinal and shoulder stripes and the leg bars 

 are evidently inherited through the donkey sire, not, as niigiit have been 

 expected, from the zebra dam. 



