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Grobler, J. H. (1983). Feeding habits of the cape mountain zebra. Koedoe, 26, 159–168.
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Hoffmann R,. (1983). Social organization patterns of several Feral horse and Feral ass populations in Central Australia. Z Säugetierk, 48, 124–126.
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Baer, K. L., Potter, G. D., Friend, T. H., & Beaver, B. V. (1983). Observation effects on learning in horses. Appl. Animal. Ethol., 11(2), 123–129.
Abstract: Sixteen horses, divided into 2 groups of 8, were used to study observational learning in horses. One group served as controls while the other group served as the treated group (observers). Observers were allowed to watch a correctly performed discrimination task for 5 days prior to testing their learning response using the same task. Discrimination testing was conducted on all horses daily for 14 days, with criterion set at 7 out of 8 responses correct with the last 5 consecutively correct. The maximum number of trials performed without reaching criterion was limited to 20 per day. Mean trials to criteria (MT) by group were: control, 11.25; observer, 10.70. Mean error (ME) scores were: control, 2.37; observer, 2.02. Average initial discrimination error scores were 11.13 for control and 10.38 for observers (P < 0.10). Asymptote was reached by Day 8 for both control and observer groups. Analysis of variance with repeated measures showed an extreme-day effect indicative of learning (P < 0.01), with non-significant differences in learning rate between experimental groups. Whether the initial ability of the horses to perform a discrimination learning task was enhanced by observation of other horses' performance of that task was not obvious from these data.
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Kirkpatrick, J. F., & Turner, J. W. (1983). Seasonal ovarian function in feral mares: seasonal patterns of LH, progestins and estrogens in feral mares. J. Equine Vet. Sci., 3(4), 113–118.
Abstract: Blood was collected every 3 days for 13 months from 4 captured [female][female] of proven fertility kept adjacent to a teaser stallion. Basal plasma LH level was greater during Apr.-July (8.1+or-0.5 ng/ml) than during Nov.-Jan. (2.2+or-0.2). A total for 21 LH peaks occurred between 13 Apr. and 31 Aug. among the 4 [female][female]; many peaks exceeded 20 times the basal level, and there was a trend to a higher LH level with each succeeding peak. On all occasions except one, LH peaks were associated with progesterone levels of 0.5 ng/ml and with increases of oestrogen (peak average 43.1+or-12.1 pg/ml). Basal progesterone level during Apr.-July (1.5+or-1.2 ng/ml) did not differ significantly from that during Oct.-Jan. (1.1+or-0.7), nor did basal oestrogen level differ significantly between those 2 periods (8.4+or-3.2 and 12.9+or-4.6 pg/ml resp.). Behavioural oestrus always occurred with LH and oestrogen peaks during Apr.-July. However, behavioural oestrus was occasionally observed during Aug.-Oct., when LH peaks no longer occurred.
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Wimmer H, & Perner J. (1983). Beliefs about beliefs: representation and constraining function of wrong beliefs in young children's understanding of deception. Cognition, 13, 103.
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Wolfe, J. M. (1983). Hidden visual processes. Sci Am, 248(2), 94–103.
Abstract: Isoluminant stimulus is an image whose edges are defined only by a change in color, not by change in brightness. The stimulus here is imperfect: the blue parts and the green parts of the image are only as nearly equal in brightness as they can be on the printed page. Moreover, the change in brightness beyond the edge of the page is apparent, and so is the fact that the reader is holding the magazine at reading distance. When such cues are removed under laboratory conditions, subjects faced with an isoluminant stimulus prove unable to bring its edges into focus. This deficiency contributes to making a familiar face hard to recognize. The experiment indicates that the brain process underlying visual accommodation (the focusing of the eyes) cannot “see” color; it is a hidden process distinct from the processes that lead to perception. The image shows Groucho Marx as he appeared in the motion picture Horse Feathers.
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Duncan, P. (1983). Determinants of the use of habitat by horses in a mediterranean wetland. J. Anim. Ecol., 52, 93–109.
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Lang Em,. (1983). Die Somaliwildesel, Equus asinus somalicus, im Basler Zoo. Zool Garten NF, 53, 73–80.
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Langlois, B., Minkema, D., & Bruns, E. (1983). Genetic problems in horse breeding. Livestock Production Science, 10(1), 69–81.
Abstract: The purpose of this paper is to give a short survey of the present problems concerning the genetic improvement of horse breeds. The evolution of these populations in Europe, characterized by a deep change from production of draught horses towards that of leisure horses, is described and the influence of the demographical parameters on the selection of these horse populations, is discussed. The generation interval represents an important handicap only surmounted in the case of racing breeds where a high selection intensity can be practised since all animals are subjected to performance testing. In the other cases, the farmer usually does not use modern breeding techniques, but uses crosses instead, which lead more easily to visible results. The available selection criteria are also dealt with. A distinction is made between direct estimates evaluating the abilities of the animals in practice and the indirect estimates measuring a character in correlation to previous ones. For the former estimates, a distinction is made between those resulting from competitions (handicap, records or earnings) and those resulting from direct in-station measurements (saddle, jumping, dressage abilities, draught power). For the indirect estimates, often used especially for the selection of mares, the most important analysis is obviously that of the conformation. However, in the future early selection criteria according to more physiological data should be sought and developed. Estimation of the breeding value according to a given ability is thereafter pointed out. There are two situations: “the panmictic case” concerning sport and draught horses and “the non-panmictic case” corresponding to racing horses, which give rise to some problems. The setting up of breeding plans is discussed. Due to the different economic situations and various objectives of horse production, conclusions are drawn about the role played by geneticists in the present development of this sector.
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Berger, J. (1983). Induced abortion and social factors in wild horses. Nature, 303(5912), 59–61.
Abstract: Much evidence now suggests that the postnatal killing of young in primates and carnivores, and induced abortions in some rodents, are evolved traits exerting strong selective pressures on adult male and female behaviour. Among ungulates it is perplexing that either no species have developed convergent tactics or that these behaviours are not reported, especially as ungulates have social systems similar to those of members of the above groups. Only in captive horses (Equus caballus) has infant killing been reported. It has been estimated that 40,000 wild horses live in remote areas of the Great Basin Desert of North America (US Department of Interior (Bureau of Land Management), unpublished report), where they occur in harems (females and young) defended by males. Here I present evidence that, rather than killing infants directly, invading males induce abortions in females unprotected by their resident stallions and these females are then inseminated by the new males.
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