ZEBRA. 439 



easily described in words, as by a well-conducted 

 figure. These stripes run in a transverse direc- 

 tion both on the body and limbs, and in a longi- 

 tudinal direction down the face, and their regular 

 and beautiful gradation, flexures, and termination 

 on the different parts of the animal, cannot be 

 viewed without admiration. The tail is of mode- 

 rate length, round, rather slender, marked with 

 small blackish bars, and terminated by a thickish 

 tuft of brown or black hair. 



The Zebra seems to have been unknown to the 

 ancients ; the Onager of Pliny and other authors 

 relating only to the wild ass. 



Attempts have been made to domesticate the 

 Zebra, and reduce it ta obedience, like the Horse; 

 but, as yet, the success has not been very consi- 

 derable. Experiments of this kind have been 

 chiefly made in Holland, and we are told by the 

 Count de Buffon, that Zebras have been yoked 

 to the Stadtholder's chariot * : this, howbver, prov- 

 ed to be a piece of misinformation, and is ac- 

 cordingly contradicted in the sixth supplemental 

 volume. Persevering attention may perhaps at 

 length reduce this beautiful animal to a state of 

 domesticity. If this were practicable, a new and 

 elegant addition would be made to the luxuries 

 of civilized life ; since the Zebra scarcely yields 

 to the Horse in gracefulness of figure, exclusive 

 of its captivating colours. 



* Buff. Suppl. vol. 3. 



