Defeription of the Eqqius Hemionus, Tif 
®noh and ‘Argun, and extends fouthwards towards the 
country of the Moguls and the great-defert’of Gobi. Im 
thefe waftes, which are very thinly inhabited, where Mef- 
ferfchmidt and Gmelin became acquainted with the dthig- 
getai, Twas fo fortunate as to obtain a defeription of this: 
rare animal. The neighbourhood of the river Argun is thes 
part within the boundaries of Siberia where thefe animals 
are ftill to be found; for they have lone fince retired from 
the reft of Dauuria, where they once abounded, to the Mo- 
gul deferts, on account of the increafe of population in 
the former. They frequent, in general, the whole extent 
of the defert of Gobi, as far as the boundaries of Thi- 
bet and India; but they are moft abundant in the dry 
plains near the lake Tarei, which afferd plenty of herbs and 
pools of falt water, and in the hilly diftriéts of Abagaitu. 
The reft of Dauuria abounds with rocky and high moun- 
tains covered with fhow, which, as well as diftricts covered 
with wood, thefe animals never frequent. 
Thefe animals were found formerly in herds in the dif- 
tricts near the Argun. At prefent, however, none are feen 
there but fingle ones which have ftrayed, or {mali difperfed 
herds, except when great drought takes place in the Mogul 
diftri€s, and drives them northwards. In the country of 
the Moguls, on the other hand, and particularly in the 
above-mentioned defert of Gobi, they are at all times col- 
leGted into large herds; and are well known to the Moguls 
and the Tungufians under the name of d/Liggetai, which 
fignifies Jong-eared. They muft alfo extend themfelves to’ 
the country of Soongarey, becaufe they were known to the 
Soongarey Calmucs, whom I had an opportunity of converfing 
with on the Wolga, under the above name, as an animal 
totally different from the wild afs; which they call kudax, 
and which by the wild Coflacs is called ¢akia,.. But in the 
weftern part of Great Tartary it appears, that the dfhigge- 
tai is never found; for the Kirgifians are acquainted wate no 
siddle animal neice the wild horfe and their kulan or 
13 wild 
