Birds and Nature Vol. 10 No. 5 [December 1901]Various
History
Birds and Nature Vol. 10 No. 5 [December 1901]
Various
Birds -- Periodicals; Natural history -- Periodicals
The Zebra is of all things a freedom-loving animal. He will go like the
wind and, if pursued singly, cannot be caught. It is true that large
herds are overtaken, as they impede each other’s progress, but it is a
shame that these beautiful creatures should be hunted at all. The
European will try to kill them with bullets, the natives with javelins,
but more frequently these dainty animals are caught in pitfalls and then
captured or slain according to the will of the pursuer.
They live gregariously and are found in groups of from ten to twenty,
though there are accounts of large herds. Probably these were migrating.
When running, they usually go in single file, the stallions leading.
They are not very fastidious in regard to their food, but if the supply
fails in one place they seek another locality. The Zebra defends itself
from other animals by biting and kicking, and the lion is about the only
foe which can overcome it.
Of the three species, the mountain Zebra or true Zebra lives farthest
south. It ranges over the mountainous country of Cape Colony. It is the
smallest of the three varieties, and is distinguished from the others,
not only by the peculiar markings, but by the large ears, short mane and
scantily haired tail. It is the only variety where the transverse
markings of the legs extend to the hoofs.
It is a very curious fact that the different species of Zebra are never
found together. Perhaps they fear each other, but they do not fear other
animals, for all agree that in the herds of quagga (which is grouped
with the Zebra) are nearly always found spring-boks, gnus, ostriches and
also buffalos. Ostriches, especially, are the companions of this species
of wild horse, which takes advantage of the vigilance and sagacity of
these great birds. Some species of the Zebra follow the horses of
traveling parties and graze among them, seeming to have a certain
friendship for the one-hoofed domestic animals.
The Burchell’s Zebra is the largest and noblest appearing of the
species. It is a rover of the plains and does not seek the mountainous
districts where the true Zebra is found. It stands about four and
one-half feet in height at the shoulders. The general ground color of
the hair varies from white to yellowish brown and the stripes are brown
or black. The hoofs are more like those of a pony than the other
species. It is not found south of the Orange river and it is not known
how far north its range extends.
Our illustration shows an example of Chapman’s Zebra. This, in reality,
is a variety of Burchell’s Zebra and should not be considered apart from
it.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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