The New Student's Reference Work/Zebra
Ze'bra, a striped animal of Africa related to the wild ass. The true or mountain zebra inhabits mountainous regions in Cape Colony. Owing to the persecution of hunters, it is scarce now and is fast being exterminated. It is about four feet high at the shoulders. Its general color is white, with black stripes on the body, limbs and tail. Those on the limbs extend to the hoofs and those on the tail to the tuft of hair. Burchell's zebra is a larger and more robust animal, with a longer mane and a fuller tail. Its general ground-color is pale yellowish brown. The stripes are dark brown or black, but do not extend so far on the limbs and on the tail as they do in the mountain zebra. The zebra has never been successfully domesticated. Experiments have proved that it can be made to work well in harness, if properly treated, but general improvement and making use of it seem impossible of attainment. The flesh is eaten by the natives, and the hide is used for leather. The quagga (q. v.) is not a true zebra.