COMMON ZEBRA OR BONTE-QUAGGA 679 
paid not the slightest attention. But it is impossible to 
generalize from such instances; often game animals seem to 
recognize when beasts of prey are not after them, and then 
betray a curious indifference to the otherwise dreaded pres¬ 
ence. We have seen zebras trot a few rods out of the path 
of a lion and then turn to gaze at him as he walked by. 
The chief fighting is done by the stallions among themselves. 
When at liberty the beaten party can generally escape; but 
if a herd is captured and left overnight in a corral, by 
morning the weaker males are sure to have been frightfully 
savaged, and some of them killed. The jaws are very pow¬ 
erful and inflict a merciless bite. In captivity the animals 
must be carefully handled, as they sometimes grow very 
vicious. 
Zebras are noisy, much more so than any antelope. 
Their barking cry—qua-ha, or ba-ha—sounds not unlike 
that of a dog when heard at a distance; watching from 
behind a bush we have seen the stallions canter close by 
with ears forward and mouths open as they uttered this 
cry. They often utter it when leaving a pool after drinking, 
or when their alarm or curiosity is excited; and often for no 
reason as far as we could discern. 
Game differ wonderfully in tameness and shyness, both 
individually and locally; and, moreover, individuals will 
be shy at one time, and, for no apparent reason, tame at 
another. On the whole, however, the common zebra is 
among the tamest of African game. It is, moreover, much 
influenced by curiosity. Again and again herds have stood 
watching us from different sides, even down wind, as we 
sat under a tree eating lunch or resting. Zebras are quick 
to catch motion, but will feed right up to a man lying 
