76 THE SPORTSMAN IN SOUTH AFRICA. 



difficulty, and with a fast horse numbers can easily be destroyed. 

 In referring to the wholesale destruction of game, it is pleasing to 

 remark that it is seldom one hears of Englishmen disgracing them- 

 selves as ruthless butchers, this being the prerogative of the ever- 

 killing and insatiable Boer or native, whose small thoughts and ideas 

 are confined to the present, and never to the future. 



Burchell's Zebras may sometimes be found in herds of from 

 So to 100, but more often numbering from lo to 15, and they are 

 commonly found associating with Ostriches, Blue Wildbeests, and 

 Hartebeests. On being hunted, and if not urged too much at the 

 start, they generally keep in single file, the stallions being in front, 

 but when hard pressed they run more in a lump, and at such times 

 it requires a really good horse to overtake them. In a stern chase 

 shot, an expanding bullet has little effect, as it will not penetrate 

 beyond the thick fleshy portion of the rump. When one is wounded, 

 it will invariably separate from the remainder of the troop, and 

 it is always more merciful and sportsmanlike to follow it up until 

 despatched than to pursue the others. The neigh of this species 

 resembles in sound the subdued whining bark of a dog. The flesh 

 to white men is coarse and flabby, with a disagreeable sweet taste, 

 but as it usually possesses a large amount of yellow fat, it is pre- 

 ferred by the natives next to that of the Hippopotamus. It is the 

 common prey of Lions, which generally frequent its drinking 

 places. 



The Equus hurchelli varies so much in its general colour, that 

 there are not suflScient grounds for believing E. chapmani to be 

 a distinct variety, as has been claimed for it. 



The Quagga {Hippotigris quagga). 



{^Height about that of the common Zebra. Upper parts of light 

 reddish brown; head, neck, and upper portion of shoulders lined with 

 dark stripes, which become fainter on back and disappear on the loins; 

 chest, belly, and tail (except at the root) are white.} 



The Ouagga at one time frequented the upper portion of the 

 Cape Colony in considerable numbers, but it is now thought to be 

 extinct, although it may be observed that Mr. W. L. Distant, the 

 naturalist, has stated that he recently saw two live specimens exposed 

 for sale on the Pretoria Market, but it is not improbable that he 

 confused them with Equus burchelli. 



