Hagenbeck, Carl, 1844-1913 (German animal dealer and trainer)

The invoice notes the transportation of three horses from Hamburg to Leith, and the return transportation of one pony.

Balfour states that she is returning Carl Hagenbeck's letter to Ewart. She states she has also written to Lord Stanley in connection with Ewart's hybrids in an attempt to persuade him to purchase them. She also enquires whether, during his experiments, he has noticed if offspring from two different species of horse, with strong markings, hark back to a more ancestral type. She enquires whether the mustang is a descendant of the Spanish horse.

Cecil states that is trying to reduce his numbers (most likely of his pony stock) and wonders whether Carl Hagenbeck could be induced to start a new industry in ponies in Germany. He also writes that his wife is sending Ewart a photograph of the black puppy.

Hagenbeck writes that the Przewalski's stallion with a longer mane than the others is now in the Zoological Gardens, Cincinnati. He is sorry that Ewart lost his Przewalski's horse without having a foal from him, and offers to send him one of his stallions for a year. He hopes to find a customer for Ewart's hybrid Onager and will send Ewart a photograph of his Java pony, which he will have to sell. He will also try to find out where the skin of a mountain zebra can be obtained.

Hagenbeck accepts the three hybrids that he is being offered. He informs Ewart that the skin of the Przewalski's horse was sent to Walter Rothschild, but adds that he has some skins of foals with hooves that he can send him. He is going to track down a zebra-pony hybrid for Ewart born two years previously in Paris, in order that he might purchase it, and also offers Ewart a male zebra from Kilimanjaro.

Hagenbeck states that he has received Ewart's correspondence and will put aside a pair of zebras for him, as well as a couple of ponies once he has been notified of which ones are to be shipped. He requests details of the three zebra hybrids in Ewart's custody.

Hagenbeck offers Ewart £100 for the three hybrids he is selling. He offers Ewart a young Przewalski's horse skin and skeleton. He also has in his possession the skins of some Siberian Ibex which he suggests might be fitting for Ewart's 'museum' (presumably the Natural History collections at the University of Edinburgh). Hagenbeck also mentions that he had bad luck with Ewart's zebra 'Matopo', who was returned to him by a buyer due to a lung condition.

Hagenbeck writes that he has not yet received a reply from Ewart concerning his two zebroids. He hopes Ewart has not sold them, as Hagenbeck would like to have them to show in Hamburg how useful they are. He states that no more experiments have yet been made with the Tsetse disease in zebras.

Hagenbeck states that he will send Ewart a pair of black rats as soon as he is able to obtain them from the Zoological Gardens in Frankfurt. He is also sending him some photographs of the results of his male lion and tigress hybridisation experiments (not present).