HORSES. 
5°5 
in the districts to the south of the Botletli River, to the north of the Kalahari, while 
in wet seasons a few range further south into the latter district; and it is common 
on the plains of the Chobi and Zambesi, as well as in East Africa. How far north¬ 
wards it extends does not appear to be ascertained. 
Messrs. Nicolls and Eglington state that zebras of this species “ may sometimes 
be found in herds of from fifty to one hundred, but more often numbering from 
ten to fifteen, and they are commonly found associating with ostriches, blue wilde¬ 
beests, and hartebeests. On being hunted, and if not urged too much at the start, 
they keep generally in single file, the stallions being in front; but when hard 
pursued they run more in a lump, and at such times it requires a really good horse 
to overtake them. When one is wounded, it will invariably separate from the 
remainder of the troop. The neigh of this species resembles in sound the subdued 
whining bark of a dog. The flesh, although unpalatable to Europeans, is much 
relished by the natives, on account of its containing a quantity of yellow fat. A 
large number of these zebras are also slaughtered for the sake of their hides, while 
others fall a prey to lions, who seem to have a great partiality for horse-flesh.” It is 
this species of zebra which is the one commonly met with in menageries. Many 
attempts have been made to break it to harness; and, in the Transvaal, teams 
composed partly of mules and partly of zebras have of late years been worked 
more or less successfully. Zebras were known to the ancients under the name of 
hippotigris, and were exhibited from time to time in the Roman circus; such 
individuals not improbably belonging to the next species. 
All who have seen zebras in their native haunts, speak of the beautiful 
appearance presented by a drove, as they stand for a moment to gaze at the hunter, 
and then wheel round to seek safety in flight; and as they afford but unsatisfactory 
trophies, it seems a pity that so many are killed for the mere sake of sport. It 
has been stated that, when standing on sandy ground in full moonlight, a zebra 
harmonises so exactly with the colour of its surroundings as to be quite invisible 
at a short distance. 
The third representative of the group is Grevy’s zebra {E. grevyi), 
from the mountains northwards of the Victoria Nyanza, and thence 
onwards to the highlands of Shoa and Somaliland, which has only been made 
known to science within the last few years. This species is a taller and slimmer 
animal than the true zebra, with which, however, it agrees in having the limbs 
striped right down to the hoofs, in the absence of stripes on the under-parts of the 
body, and the long ears. On the other hand, it resembles Burchell’s zebra in the 
long mane and abundantly-haired tail. It is distinguished from both by the much 
greater number of the stripes, which are very narrow, deep black in colour, and 
separated by equally narrow white streaks. The arrangement of the stripes is, 
moreover, quite different, those which run transversely across the sides occupying 
a much greater extent of the body, and the obliquely longitudinal ones on the 
haunches being proportionately shortened. 
Colonel J. A. Grant, who in company with his fellow-explorer, 
Speke, first met with these zebras in the mountains north of the 
Victoria Nyanza, writes that they are found in herds comprising from two to nine 
individuals. “ One of their number, probably the largest male, takes general charge 
Grevy’s Zebra. 
Habits. 
