8 THE WONDERS OF THE ANIMAL KINGDOM. 



several zebras were sent to Holland, to be broken in for the Stadtholder's carriage, but that, after the 

 most indefatigable pains, the task was relinquished as not practicable ; and if we further reflect, that 

 our late Queen Charlotte attempted the same task, but could never accomplish it, we feel disposed to 

 consider the statement of Dapper as not founded on truth, especially as he does not affirm that he was 

 himself an eye-witness of the fact. Pyrard relates, that several zebras were sent to Brazil, but 

 that not one of them could be tamed ; indeed, they were so very wild and untractable, that they would 

 permit only one man to approach them — and on a particular occasion when one of them got loose, 

 he actually killed the groom, having bitten him to death. Notwithstanding, however, these facts, 

 apparently so decisive of the untractable nature of the zebra, it must be considered that they are very 

 seldom sent to this country whilst very young, and consequently their habits of wildness have become 

 too inveterately fixed to be subdued by the art or discipline of man. 



The repeated failures in the subjection of this animal have given rise to some speculative experiments, 

 as to how far the breed of the ass in this country mjght be improved by an intermixture with the zebra. 

 In 1761 , an attempt was made at Versailles to establish a breed with a male zebra and a female ass, 

 but notwithstanding the similarity of their species, the experiment wholly failed. The failure at the 

 time was attributed to a neglect in accustoming the zebra, for some time previously to the spring, to the 

 society of her new companion, which nature points out to be necessary, in a certain degree, between 

 animals of the same race, but differing in their species. The most extraordinary experiment of this 

 kind, however, was tried by Lord Clive, to whom, on his return from India, whilst stopping at the 

 Cape of Good Hope, a present was made of a female zebra, which he brought with him to England, 

 and turned it into his park at Clennom. At the proper season, his Lordship, being desirous to obtain 

 a cross breed, confined the zebra with an ass, but the former testified the utmost reluctance to enter 

 on any terms of familiarity with her new associate ; his Lordship therefore hit upon the most extra- 

 ordinary expedient of cheating the zebra, and he actually had the ass painted in every particular 

 like a zebra, and the consequence was that the animal was duped, and the result was a fine male foal, 

 resembling in every respect its mother. Of the authenticity of this fact little doubt can exist, as, in 

 a letter from Lord Chatham to Buffon in 1778, he says, " During a late visit to Clennom, I made 

 particular inquiry respecting the female zebra and her foal, when I was informed that the former was 

 dead, and that the foal had been sent to an estate of Lord dive's, at a distant part of the county. Se- 

 veral attempts have been made to perpetuate the breed, but without success." 



The zebra is not to be found either in Europe, Asia, or America, and yet it is nevertheless very 

 easily fed. From the near resemblance which it bears to the horse and the ass in structure, a great 

 probability exists that it brings forth its young as they do, annually. The noise which they make is 

 neither like that of a horse nor an ass, but more resembling the confused barking of a mastiff dog. It 

 is thought by some persons to have a distant resemblance to the sound of a post-horn, and it is more 

 frequently exerted when the animal is alone, than at any other time. 



The zebra is by no means a rare animal in the menageries of this country. There are at this time 

 four in the Collection of Mr. Cross, the most beautiful of which has been selected for the embellish- 

 ment of this work. Their state of confinement precludes any decided opinion being formed of the 

 natural habits of the animal, but it has perhaps tended to curb their natural wildness, and to reduce 

 them to that docility, which renders them such favourite objects of the curiosity of the public. 



A most beautiful specimen has lately been added to the Royal Menagery in the Tower, and in 

 point of tameness and docility it is one of the most interesting of the kind that has ever been exhibited 

 in this country. 



