WILD TARPAN AND ITS RELATIONS 89 



to ride down and take the foals, which are snared 

 in nooses. Those received in 1907 by the Duke of 

 Bedford were brought from the Kobdo district of 

 Western MongoHa by the agents of Mr. Carl 

 Hagenbeck of Hamburg, who enlisted an army of 

 Kirghiz for their capture. These foals were taken 

 in three different areas in the neighbourhood of 

 Kobdo ; those from each area showing certain colour- 

 differences, into the consideration of which it will 

 be unnecessary to enter in this place ; and it will 

 suffice to state that these differences suggest that 

 there has been some admixture with domesticated 

 breeds. 



The genuine wild tarpan may, however, be 

 described as a big-headed pony, with a convex 

 forehead, a short erect mane, and a tail covered 

 with comparatively short hair on its basal portion, 

 but terminating in a long tuft. Chestnuts and ergots 

 are developed on all four limbs, as in most domesti- 

 cated horses ; the limbs are moderately slender, and 

 the front hoofs are not unduly broad. The general 

 colour of the upper-parts is dun, but on the nose 

 and under-parts it becomes more or less markedly 

 whitish ; the mane (which does not extend on to 

 the forehead to form a forelock), the tips of the 

 ears, and the lower portions of the legs are black 

 in front, and there is a distinct, although narrow 

 dorsal stripe, while more or less defined shoulder- 

 stripes and traces of barring on the upper parts of 



