92 



somc naturalists do, to the opinion that the geographical distribution 

 of animals is regulated by mean temperature, tbe Dzeggetai of Palias 

 inhabiting the borders of the arctic regions, the Wild Ass of India the 

 borders of the torrid zone. There might be yetfurther ąuestionfor 

 doubt , did we take the description of colour from Griffith's edition of the 

 ' Rėgne Animal,' in which it is stated ' there is a black dorsal line 

 which enlarges on the crupper. In winter the hair is very long ; 

 but of a smooth and shining appearance in summer. The colour of 

 the body is an uniform light bay, but in •vv'inter it partakes more of 

 red* ;' and the forehead is described as 'flatted and narrow.' 



"M. St. Hilaire, who describes from thelife, says ' Les deuxcou- 

 leurs dominantes de YHemione, le blanc et l'isabelle passent l'une a 

 l'autre par nuances insensibles sur le ventre, vers sa partie inferieure, 

 et sur le cou, presąue a ^gal distance de son bord supėrieur, et de 

 son bord infėrieur. Sur la tėte au contraire, le blanc n'occupe 

 guėre que le museau et la gorge, le cou ėtant presąue entierement 

 isabelle. Sur les membres, contrairement k ce qui alieu sur le corps, 

 c'est le blanc qui domine, &c.' Again, ' Tout ce systėme de colo- 

 ration est rebasse superieurement par une bandė dorsale longitudi- 

 nale, non pas no/re commeonl'adit, mais d'unbrunlegėrementrous- 

 satre.' And now \vith respect to the change of colour -vvith the season 

 of the year, instead of getting redder in winter it -n'ould appear from 

 the obsen-ations of M. Fred. Cuvier, that the ' animal a le poil plūs 

 gris, plūs pale et plūs long l'hiver que l'^tė.' These discrepancies 

 ■vvould have afForded to those strongly disposed to multiply species, 

 some feeble grounds (particularly •vv'hen I come to notice a point of 

 conformation in the head,) for asserting the right of the Wild Ass of 

 Cutch to the dignity of a specific character, for it will be bome in 

 mind that M. St. Hilaire describes his specimen, which ■was a native 

 of Cutch ; while in Griffith's Cuvier the description refers to the Dzeg- 

 getai, whose habitat is from southem Sibeįia to ITiibet and China ; 

 and ■vve do not Avant instances of eąuallj' trifling discrepancies having 

 been made available for multiplying species. 



" And now with respect to the animals in the Zoological Gardens, 

 the one being caUed Dzeggetai, and marked on its ticket Mongolia 

 and Asia ; the other known positively as the Wild Ass from Cutch. 

 The first, a malė, hasbeen in the possession of the Society since the 

 3rd of March 1832, and vv'as presented to the Society by Captain 

 Glasspoole, R.N. Its birth-place is not known, but from the nature 

 of Captain Glasspoole's maritime duties, which carried his ship along 

 the coasts Cutch, Scind, and Persia, there is little doubt of its being 

 from one of these statės ; and as it is absolutely identical ■vvith the 

 animal I am about to speak of, my o^Ti judgement is formed on the 

 subject. This creature has long been kno\vn in the gardens from its 

 great beauty, its fine condition, its vivacity, and its w'ickedness. 

 The second animal ^vas sent while ąuite a colt by an old friend of 

 mine, the British Minister in Cutch, to the Military Auditor General 

 of Bombay. It ivas allowed for a considerable period, (pending an 

 answer from me, ■vvhether or not I \vouldaccept of it,) to amuse the 

 * Quarto cdit., vo). iii. p. 460. 



