Note: The true or mountain zebra ({Equus, or Asinus, zebra})
is nearly white, and the bands which cover the body and
legs are glossy black. Its tail has a tuft of black
hair at the tip. It inhabits the mountains of Central
and Southern Africa, and is noted for its wariness and
wildness, as well as for its swiftness. The second
species ({Equus, or Asinus, Burchellii}), known as
{Burchell's zebra}, and {dauw}, inhabits the grassy
plains of South Africa, and differs from the preceding
in not having dark bands on the legs, while those on
the body are more irregular. It has a long tail,
covered with long white flowing hair.
{Zebra caterpillar}, the larva of an American noctuid moth
({Mamestra picta}). It is light yellow, with a broad black
stripe on the back and one on each side; the lateral
stripes are crossed with withe lines. It feeds on
cabbages, beets, clover, and other cultivated plants.
{Zebra opossum}, the zebra wolf. See under {Wolf}.
{Zebra parrakeet}, an Australian grass parrakeet, often kept
as a cage bird. Its upper parts are mostly pale greenish
yellow, transversely barred with brownish black crescents;
the under parts, rump, and upper tail coverts, are bright
green; two central tail feathers and the cheek patches are
blue. Called also {canary parrot}, {scallop parrot},
{shell parrot}, and {undulated parrot}.
{Zebra poison} (Bot.), a poisonous tree ({Euphorbia arborea})
of the Spurge family, found in South Africa. Its milky
juice is so poisonous that zebras have been killed by
drinking water in which its branches had been placed, and
it is also used as an arrow poison. --J. Smith (Dict.
Econ. Plants).
{Zebra shark}. Same as {Tiger shark}, under {Tiger}.
{Zebra spider}, a hunting spider.
{Zebra swallowtail}, a very large North American
swallow-tailed butterfly ({Iphiclides ajax}), in which the
wings are yellow, barred with black; -- called also
{ajax}.
{Zebra wolf}. See under {Wolf}.