NATURAL HISTORY OF SOUTH AFRICA 



mountain climbing. It gallops about the tops and 

 sides of the rugged and precipitous mountain sides 

 with apparently the same degree of ease as a horse 

 upon the veld. 



When alarmed or chased, they will gallop at break- 

 neck speed in a perfect abandonment of recklessness 

 up or down the steep, narrow, boulder-strewn 

 mountain paths. Such truly astounding powers 

 of endurance, surefootedness and sense of balance 

 can only have been evolved after long ages of 

 mountain life. The Mountain Zebra could, with 

 advantage, be domesticated and used as a pack 

 animal for mountain work, such as is often required 

 in military expeditions, for it possesses the cHmbing 

 powers of the wild goal, and the stamina of a 

 donkey. 



A troop of Mountain Zebras consists of mares, 

 foals, and one adult stallion. When the young males 

 reach maturity, they are driven from the troop by 

 the leader until his strength is on the wane, owing to 

 increasing age or accident, when he is in turn driven 

 forth or slain. 



When a troop increases beyond half-a-dozen to a 

 dozen individuals, it splits up, some of the mares 

 going off with a young male ; for these animals are 

 well aware that the scanty vegetation of their bleak 

 mountain home is insufficient for the maintenance 

 of a large troop. 



When endeavouring to capture the Zebras alive, 

 it is a sheer waste of time and energy to endeavour 



184 



