CHAPTER XII. 



THE iroRHE TRIBE. 



ZEBRAS AND AVILD ASSES. 



BY F, r. SEL(JU.S. 



Zejjra.s. 



THE Zebras have many points in common with the a.sses, from which latter gronp 

 of animals they are principaUy distinguished by their beautifully .striped skins. Both 

 asses and zebras carry short, 

 erect manes, and in both the upper 



portion of the tail is free from lonLf "" 



hair. In liotli groups there are i .... 



naked callosities on the fore legs 

 only, whilst the head is larger in 

 proportion to the size of the animal, 

 and the ears longer than in the horse. 

 In Bdrchell's and Gbevy's Zebras 

 the hoof is intermediate between 

 that of the horse and the ass ; for 

 although narrower than the hoof of 

 the horse, it is broader and more 

 rounded than that of the ass. In 

 the True Zebra, however, the hoof is 

 thoroughly asinine in character, and 

 the ears very long. 



The True or INIountain Zebiia 

 appears nevei' to ha\'e had a very 

 extended range. It was once an 

 inhabitant of all the mountainous 

 regions of the Cape Colony as well 

 as of the great Drakensberg Eange, 

 and fifty years ago was also found 

 amongst the rugged hills of Great 

 Namacpraland. The mountain-zebra 

 is the smallest of the groujD, standing 

 only from 12 to 12 J hands at the 

 shoulder. It is a most beautiful 

 animal, the whole of the head, body, 

 and limbs, with the exception of the 

 under-parts and the insides of the 

 thighs, being striped. The ground- 

 colour of the body is white, the stripes 





:MOUNTAIX-ZEBIiA. 



The tme or nxountain zelira is uow 'becOTning scarcer than forniKiij. At one tinie it 

 wa.s to bt? seen in gTeat nunibtrs <iu the mountains of Cape Colony. 

 181) 



