Zebras

Linton writes that he has heard from Sir Clement that Ewart is to send them two stallions. He hopes that the horses will pay proper attention to the zebras and asks whether they will be well enough trained to be shipped out (to South-East Africa) in September.

Baron de Parana gives Ewart permission to publish the letter that he wrote to him about telegony. He adds that he has not yet tried to cross a female ass with a zebra, but that he will keep Ewart informed of his experiments.

Baron de Parana thanks Ewart for sending a copy of his book on telegony. He then lists the six zebra hybrids in his possession, detailing their physical characteristics, and in particular their height and the dappling on their coats. He discusses telegony and 'infection', which he does not believe in. He cites many human examples to disprove the theory of telegony.

Letter is undated. It is not known who made the translation.

Knott asks Ewart what he wishes to do about having pictures printed from the plate of Ewart's zebra to illustrate a paper that was to be have been published in the Transactions of the Royal Society of Edinburgh.

The letter from Huth to Knott, dated 20 December, enquires whether he can print off the plate as it has been on stone for a number of years.

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.