238 WILD BEASTS OF THE WOKLD 



however, when it goes to drink, he does not get many chances to 

 secure this delicacy, which seems to commend itself to him by its 

 abundance of oily fat. The same peculiarity of Zebra meat makes 

 it much esteemed by African natives ; Europeans seldom shoot the 

 animal, except to provide meat for their negro followers. 



The Zebra foal has the handsome markings of its parents at birth, 

 and very soon acquires swiftness enough to- keep -up with the herd. 

 It is easily tamed if captured young, and even old individuals can be 

 broken to harness; some time ago the Honourable Walter Rothschild 

 used to drive three of them in England, along with a Pony, " four-in- 

 hand." They have also been tried for coaching work in South Africa, 

 and, though they were rather ready to bite at first, they pulled 

 willingly enough. It was found, however, that they had not sufficient 

 strength to bear continuous heavy work. Of course their great recom- 

 mendation was their natural immunity from the diseases to which 

 Horses are so liable in Africa, especially that communicated by the 

 Tsetse-fly {Glossina morsitans). Hopes were entertained that mules 

 between this Zebra and the Horse might share this desirable quality, 

 but on experiment it was found that this was not the case. These 

 .Zebra-Horse hybrids, by the way, favour the Horse in colour, but 

 show indistinct stripes, which in pattern more resemble those of 

 «Grevy's Zebra than those of the present species.. 



Burchell's Zebra is the only species commonly seen in menageries 

 nowadays ; it lives and breeds well in captivity, and it is to be hoped 

 that more attempts to domesticate and work it in its native country 

 will be made, for complete success can hardly be expected at first, 

 and the ultimate utility of the animal would be very great, the pro- 

 vision of transport animals being one of the greatest difficulties in 

 Ihe opening-up of Africa. ; 



THE MOUNTAIN ZEBRA ^ - 



(Equus zebra) 



This is the animal which used to be called the Common Zebra, as it was at 

 first the best known in Europe ; but it is now nearly extinct, being reduced' 

 to one or two herds in the mountains of the Cape, atid also occurring in Angola. 

 It is smaller than Burchell's Zebra, and more closely re&embtes the Ass, espe^i- 



