de-fined [L. definio, to make out, from de; finis, a limit], marked or determined with percision, described accurately. gre-ga-ri-ous [L. grex, a flock], associating or living in flocks or herds. te-na-cious (L. tenax, from teneo, to hold], holding fast, retentive. ul-ti-mate-ly [L. ultimus, the last], at last, finally. EVERYBODY knows the beautiful and bold colouring of the zebra, its creamy white fur covered so regularly with broad black streaks defined with such clearness that if the animal *The Rev. J. G. WOOD is one of the most popular of our modern writers on natural history, and, doubtless, is well known to many of our readers as a contributor to the Boys' Own Magazine and Routledge's Magazine for Boys. His works exhibit careful and painstaking research, combined with a familiar knowledge and close observation of the habits of the animal world. The best and most generally known of his books are his "Natural History," and "Homes without Hands," to which may be added his latest work, "The Natural History of Man." were new to ɛcience, few would believe that the streaks were not produced artificially. The zebra is a native of Southern Africa, and lives in troops, guarding itself, after the fashion of most gregarious animals, by posting sentinels upon elevated spots. These animals are extremely wary, and to approach a herd of zebras is no easy matter. The most accomplished sentinel is one that has been bitten by a lion, leopard, or other carnivorous animal; for the recollection of the pain and terror it has undergone is so vivid that it is alarmed by sights and sounds which would otherwise have attracted no attention. A good hunter will, however, contrive to come within long rifle range of a zebra, but even in such a case he feels no certainty of securing his prey. The animal has a curious habit of keeping at a distance of some hundred yards, and then turning round and looking at the foe. In so doing it only presents its chest to the hunter, and, as it always continues on the move, it becomes a most difficult mark. Moreover, even if hit, it is not always secured. Unless struck in the head, or fairly in the middle of the chest, it cannot receive an immediately mortal wound, and the animal is so tenacious of life that it will sometimes get away though pierced through and through by an ounce bullet. It does not ultimately recover from the wound, but it survives long enough to escape from any hunter except a native, who will track a wounded animal for days, until he comes up with it, and deals the fatal blow. When the zebra is severely wounded it utters a deep groan, singularly like that of a human being. Its usual voice is a kind of barking sound, which it frequently produces at night. The flesh of the zebra is held in no great estimation, and is seldom eaten, being rather coarse, and having a peculiar and not pleasant flavour. There are, however, other reasons for the dislike which the natives evince towards this food Among all native tribes there are sundry superstitious observances regarding the use of certain meats, the use of various kinds of food being as elaborately limited as was the use of various garments by the sumptuary laws of the middle ages. The Batoka tribes are especially noted for their hatred of the zebra, which they detest as much as they venerate the OX. So far, indeed, does this feeling prevail, that they have fallen into a curious custom of knocking out their pper front teeth as soon as they emerge from childhood, giving as their reason that they wish to look like oxen and not to resemble zebras. This extraordinary custom gives them a most hideous appearance, causing the youth to present the features of the old man; but they are so attached to the usage that even the chiefs cannot succeed in preventing it. The zebra has seldom been used for draught or carriage, as it is somewhat tetchy and uncertain in temper, and is apt to make use of its teeth or heels on every slight provocation. Not long ago while the writer was in the Zoological Gardens, he heard a succession of piercing screams, and, on running to the spot whence they proceeded, found a girl of fourteen or fifteen with her arm thrust between the rails of the zebra's compartment and screaming with all her might. The fact was that she had disobeyed the rules of the establishment, and had irritated the zebra, which caught her arm in its teeth, and tried to pull her through the bars. A gentleman who was near the spot ran up, and by dashing his hat against the zebra's face, made it loosen its hold and set the girl free. She was more frightened than hurt, her arm being much bruised, but there was no wound, and she might think herself fortunate in escaping so well. When Mr. Rarey was in England he took in hand one of the zebras, which was a fierce and wilful creature, and at last succeeded in taming it. But the task was a very hard one, for even when one leg was strapped, the animal would kick nearly as sharply as when it was free, a curious and unexpected faculty which nearly cost Mr. Rarey dearly. However he managed to overcome the difficulty by putting a strap round its near hind-leg and fastening it to the manger. As the near fore-leg was doubled up and strapped tight, it necessarily followed that when the animal lifted the off hind-leg for the purpose of kicking, it was standing on the two legs of the same side, and must necessarily overbalance itself. So all that was done was to allow the animal to kick as much as it liked, and as it soon discovered that, whenever it tried to kick, it tumbled over, it learned to give up the attempt. As to the habit of biting, that was soon conquered by the simple plan of putting in its mouth a thick wooden bit, which kept its jaws so far apart that it could not make its teeth meet. The boers of South Africa, who call themselves "baptized men," share many native prejudices, as is often the case when uneducated white men associate much with savage tribes. Among other peculiarities they consider the use of zebra flesh to be derogatory to the character of a “baptized man," and will never use it themselves, but give all the meat to their Hottentots, reserving only the hide for themselves. As travellers are apt to make use of the popular name when describing the habits and appearance of various animals, and have, therefore, given rise to much uncertainty on the part of careful readers, it may be as well to record briefly a few of the names by which this animal is mentioned. It is the Hippotigris or Horse-Tiger of the ancients, the name being clearly derived from the striped fur. It is the Wild-paard, or Wild Horse of the Dutch boers. It is the Daow of Harris, and the Wilde Esel of Kolbe. EXERCISE.-53. COMPOSITION. 1. Name the chief peculiarities of the zebra. 2. Give the various names by which this animal is known. 3. Describe in your own words the means by which a zebra was tamed by Rarey. 4. Fill up the following blanks so as to make complete sense: The Its flesh -because in temper, and therefore pov-er-ty [L. pauper, poor], want, indigence. hame-ly or home-ly [A.S. ham, home], plain, pertaining to home. hon-est [L. honestus, from honor, honour], just, fair-dealing. broth-ers [A.S. bródhor], sons of the same parents, fellow-creatures. Is there, for honest poverty, That hangs his head, and a' that; The coward-slave, we pass him by, Our toils obscure, and a' that, The man's the gowd (1) for a' that. What though on hamely fare we dine, For a' that, and a' that, Their tinsel show, and a' that; The honest man, though e'er sae (3) poor, A prince can mak (4) a belted knight, But an honest man's aboon (5) his might, Their dignities, and a' that, The pith o' sense, and pride o' worth Then let us pray, that come it may, That sense and worth, o'er a' the earth, For a' that, and a' that, It's coming yet, for a' that, EXERCISE.--54. PARSING, ETC. 1. Turn the whole piece into English prose. 2. What is the co-relative to that in the second line? 3. What is the case of slave? 4. Parse-by, be, that, but, guinea, stamp, man's, in the first verse. 5. What case is fools, and why? 6. Why is the verb in the last line of the third verse in the plural number? (1) gold. (2) give. (3) so. (4) make. (5) above. (6) good. (7) must not try. (8) equivalent to "bear away the bell." |