177r- ears, and that it has no ftripes on its fore legs, loins, or September. ± any of its hind parts. This partial refemblance has been the occailon of Mr. E d w a r d s ’s delineating the quagga with the title of the female zebra. But in that very wojrk both the quaggas and zebras are ipecies totally different the one from the other, keeping in very different trails of country, and thofe frequently very diftant from each other. The females of each ipecies are marked like their refpeilive males, excepting that the colour is ibmewhat more lively and definite in thefe latter. That the zebras difcover fome- trifling variations from each other with refpeil to their itreaks, particularly down the legs, may be perceived by comparing the different ikins of this animal; which, as I have remarked above, are fold by the furriers under the denomination of fea- horfe ikins. I have never had an opportunity of comparing together the ikins o f quaggas, but have very little doubt that there is likewife fome trifling difference between them. A full grown foetus of a quagga, which I brought with me from the Cape, and keep Huffed with itraw in the cabinet of natural hiftory belonging to the Royal Academy of Sciences, feems to have livelier colours than I have obferved in the adult animal. The length of this foetus, from the ears to the tail is thirty-one inches, and its height about the loins twenty-two inches. The quagga I faw here, having been caught when it was very young, was become fo tame, that it came to us to be carefled. It was faid never to be frightened by the hyaena, but, on the contrary, contrary, that it would purfue this fierce animal, when- . 1775 - . . . _ September. ever this latter made its appearatice in thofe parts ; fo that it was a moft certain guard for the horfes, with which it Was turned out to grafs at night. That thefe quaggas might be broken in for the faddle or harnefs, I have not the leaft doubt; as juft before my departure for Europe, I faw one driven through the ftreets m a team with five horfes: but with the zebra nobody has yet made any fair trial in this particular. I was told, indeed, that a wealthy burgher near the Cape, brought up and tamed fome o f them with this view ; and likewife, that once he was abfurd enough to take it into his head to harnefs them all to his chaife, though they were not in the leaft accuftomed either to the harnefs or yoke. The confequence was, that they diredlly ran back into the liable with the carriage and their matter in it with fuch prodigious fury, as to deprive him and every one elfe o f all defire to make any farther trials o f this kind. There can be no doubt, however, but that quaggas or zebras, properly tamed and broke in, would, in many refpedls, be o f greater fervice to the colonifts than horfes : as, in the firft place, they are more eafily procured here ; and next, being ufed to the harih dry pafture, which chiefly abounds in Africa, they feem to be intended by nature for this country; while, on the other hand, horfes are univerially very nice in their food. I believe I have already remarked, that both horfes and oxen in this couritry are in general weaker than ours; of which the dry paftures abounding in it, were in all probability the principal caufe. The quagga that I faw here at this time, was in fuch good condition, and V o l . I. G g fo
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