THE ELEPHANT. 201 
are not so deep as they are in the zebra, and the remainder of the body is 
brown, with the exception of the abdomen, legs, and part of the tail, which 
are whitish grey. The Quagga lives in large herds, and is much persecuted 
by the natives of Southern Africa, who pursue it for the sake of its skin and 
its flesh, both of which are in high estimation. 
AMONG all the species of the Ass tribe, the ZEBRA is by far the most con- 
spicuous and the most beautiful. 
The general colour of the Zebra is a creamy white, marked regularly with 
velvety black stripes that cover the entire head, neck, body, and limbs, and 
extend down to the very feet. It is worthy of note that the stripes are drawn 
nearly at right angles to the part of the body on which they occur, so that the 
stripes of the legs are horizontal, while those of the body are vertical. The 
abdomen and inside faces of the thighs are cream-white, and the end of the 
tail is nearly black. This arrangement of colouring is strangely similar to that 
of the tiger, and has earned for the animal the name of “ Hippotigris,” or 
Horse-tiger, among some zoologists ancient and modern. The skin of the neck 
is developed into a kind of dewlap, and the tail is sparingly covered with coarse 
black hair. By the Cape colonists it is called W2/de Paard, or Wild Horse. 
At the best of times the flesh of the Zebra is not very inviting, being 
rather tough, coarse, and of a very peculiar flavour. The Boers, who call 
themselves by the title of “baptized men,” think they would be derogating 
from their dignity to partake of the flesh of the zebra, and generously leave 
the animal to be consumed by their Hottentot servants. When wounded, 
the Zebra gives a kind of groan, which is said to resemble that of a dying man. 
In disposition the Zebra is fierce, obstinate, and nearly untameable. The — 
efforts used by Mr. Rarey in reducing to obedience the Zebra of the Zoological 
Gardens are now matter of history. The little brindled animal gave him 
more trouble than the huge savages on whom he had so successfully operated, 
and it overset some of his calculations by the fact that it was able to kick as 
fiercely from three legs as a horse from four. 
In its habits the Zebra resembles the Dziggetai, as it is always found in 
hilly districts, and inhabits the high craggy mountain ranges in preference to 
the plains. It isa mild and very timid animal, fleeting instinctively to its 
mountain home as soon as it is alarmed by the sight of a strange object. 
PACHYDERMATA , 
OR, THICK-SKINNED ANIMALS. 
THE important family of the Elephantidz includes, according to the catalogue 
of the British Museum, the Elephants, Tapirs, Swine, Hyrax, Rhinoceros, 
and Hippopotamus. All these animals, however. different their aspect, are 
nearly related to each other by means of certain members of the family, 
which, although now extinct, have been recovered through the assistance of 
geological researches. : bs cad ; 
Of Elephants, two distinct species are found in different continents, the 
one inhabiting Asia, and the other taking up its residence in Africa. 
According to some zoologists these animals belong to different genera, but 
the distinctions between the two creatures are not sufficiently determined to 
warrant such a suggestion. Although the Asiatic and African Elephants are 
very similar in external form, they may at once be distinguished from each 
other by the size of the ear. In the Asiatic animal, the ears are of moderate 
swe, while in the African Elephant they are of enormous magnitude, nearly 
meeting on the back of the head, and hanging with their tips below the neck. 
