244 Mr. E. Blyth on the different Animals known as Wild Asses, 



says he, ' was a plain throughout as even as the sea, and full of 

 wormwood ; if any other kind of shrubs or reeds grew there, 

 they had all an aromatic smell; but no trees appeared. Of 

 wild creatures, the most numerous were wild Asses, and not a 

 few Ostriches, besides Bustards and Red Deer (Gazelles), which 

 our horsemen sometimes chased. The Asses, when they were 

 pursued, having gained ground on the horses, stood still (for 

 they exceeded them much in speed) ; and when these came up 

 with them, they did the same thing again ; so that our horsemen 

 could take them by no other means than by dividing themselves 

 into relays, and succeeding one another in the chase. The flesh 

 of those that were taken was like that of Red Deer, but more 

 tender/ (Anab. lib. i. c. 5.) In fleetness," continues Dr. Layard, 

 " they equal the Gazelle ; and to overtake them is a feat which 

 only one or two of the most celebrated mares have been known 

 to accomplish. The Arabs sometimes catch the foals during 

 the spring, and bring them up with milk in their tents. They 

 are of a light fawn-colour, almost pink. The Arabs still eat 

 their flesh." This will of course be the animal seen by Mr. 

 Ainsworth at the foot of Taurus, and observed by him among 

 the lower hills*. 



It cannot be doubted that this Asinus hemippus is the Meso- 

 potamian and Arabian " wild Horse" of Col. Chesney, as distin- 

 guished from his " wild Ass " of the southern deserts of Arabia. 

 In Mesopotamia, this author remarks, "we did not obtain a 

 single specimen, although the Arabs engaged to bring one; 

 they brought a skin, however, of a light brown colour, without 

 stripes, and having a mane [! dark streak ?] all along its back. 

 This is more probably the wild Horse." ! Again, treating on 

 the animals of Arabia, he remarks : " The wild Horse, the wild 

 Dog [Lycaon pictust], and a kind of wild Cow [Oryx beatricis. 

 Gray ?] inhabit the country adjoining the district of Joff, be- 

 tween Tolink Sanou and Kedrush ; and to the south of these 

 places the wild Ass [Asinus vulgaris ?] is found in great num- 

 bers. The Sherarat Arabs hunt them, and eat their flesh, but 

 not before strangers." Elsewhere he remarks that " the Ass is 



known that Ostriches commonly accompany, at the present day, the troops 

 of Quaggas and Dauws in South Africa. 



The remnant of the Ostrich race in Syria requires close examination. 

 From some eggs in Major Tytler's possession, I am strongly inclined to 

 suspect the existence of a second species of Ostrich. These eggs are 

 smaller than the ordinary Ostrich egg, and have a much smoother and 

 more polished surface, with the pores scarcely perceptible. In the ordinary 

 Ostrich egg the pores are particularly conspicuous. 



Ostrich feathers, wheresoever obtained, are numerous among the Kurds, 

 who adorn their spears with them. 



* Travels in Assyria, Babylonia, and Chaldea, p. 3. 



