Page:The Zoologist, 4th series, vol 2 (1898).djvu/83

Rh less upright black hairs. The most anterior part of the mane, instead of forming a forelock, extends beyond the level of the ears, and projects forwards at right angles to the long axis of the face. Behind the shoulder-stripe there are, on the left side, five broad, nearly vertical stripes, all but the last reaching the dorsal band above, while all but the first reach the ventral band below. Behind the fifth vertical stripe are a number of broad oblique stripes, with indistinct "shadow" stripes between them. One of these oblique stripes, beginning at the root of the tail, runs forward to pass over the point of the ilium (hip) before bending sharply downwards to reach the ventral band. I have named this the great flank-stripe. Below this flank-stripe a second, having a similar course, may be known as the intermediate flank-stripe. The intermediate stripe is followed by a third, which, starting some distance below the root of the tail, runs obliquely across the quarters to bifurcate over the stifle, the anterior division proceeding towards, but not actually reaching, the ventral band. This may be known as the lower or stifle flank-stripe. These three flank-stripes are equally distinct on the right side, the bifurcation over the stifle being especially evident.

In the space formed by the splitting of the shoulder-stripe are several indistinct arches, and below these arches are the transverse bars of the leg. In some cases this V-shaped space contains portions of seven arches, and the legs may be striped to the hoofs. Below the stifle-stripe there are first oblique and then nearly transverse stripes across the hind leg, with sometimes shadow-stripes between. In Matopo the stripes are indistinct on the lower part of the hind leg, but in many Zebras they become more distinct and relatively broader as the hoof is reached. It will be further observed from the figures (a) that the upper part of the tail is distinctly striped, and that, as in an Ox, only the lower part of the tail carries long hairs; (b) that though there is a large wart (chestnut) on the fore leg, there is no vestige of a wart on the hind leg, and (c) that there is no tuft of hair at the fetlock.

It may be mentioned that in no two Zebras, or on the two sides (Plate I., figs. 1 and 2) of the same Zebra, is the striping alike, that in some cases there are nearly as many shadow as there are