Page:The Zoologist, 4th series, vol 2 (1898).djvu/87

Rh a ditch, reins and bits counting for little or nothing. In schooling the hybrids, this habit will require to be allowed for, and the tendency to bound or rush slowly combated. As it has been completely overcome by careful training in some Zebras, there should be comparatively little difficulty in breaking the hybrids. As a matter of fact. Romulus leads anywhere, is perfectly docile, allows his feet to be trimmed and his teeth to be examined, and, when little more than a year old, seemed quite willing to carry a small boy on his back.

I mentioned Mulatto is just under 13 hands, while the Zebra sire is nearly 12.3 hands. At birth (August 12th, 1896) Romulus measured 34½ in. (from the withers to the ground); at two months 38½ in.; at six months 43 in.; and at twelve months 45½ in. The rate of growth has been extremely inconstant,—e.g. from the 12th of February to the 12th of April he only increased half an inch, and from the 12th of June, 1897, to the 12th of September, 1897, he only increased three-quarters of an inch ; but from the 12th of September, 1897, to the 12th of December, 1897, he increased one and a quarter inches. He now measures (January 12th) 47½ in., nearly 12 hands, and the circumference of the fore-shank is 6⅛ in., the knee being 10 in., and the girth 52½ in.

The foals of the black Island of Rum ponies are frequently of a mouse-dun colour, with at times an indistinct dorsal band, and a cloudy patch over the shoulder. Usually after the first coat is shed the pure-bred foals are dark brown, and later nearly black, with sometimes indistinct dappling over the flanks and hind quarters. As already mentioned, the body colour of Romulus at birth was chiefly of a yellow tint, the yellow approaching bright orange on the brow, while it approached a straw colour at the muzzle and below the knees and hocks. Under the neck and under the belly the prevailing body colour was dark brown, the ventral band being very indistinct.

The ears were lined with fine bright orange-coloured hairs. When only a month old, the hybrid began to shed his foal's coat.