282 Game of Europe, W. & N. Asia & America 



After referring to the opinion held by many as to the domesticated 

 origin of tarpan. Dr. Nehring says that he believes that these animals are 

 (in spite of a certain amount ot mixture with domesticated breeds) really 

 the direct descendants of the original wild horses of Prehistoric and 

 Pleistocene Europe. 



PRZEWALSKI'S HORSE 



{Eqia/s przewalskii) 



In the year 1881 Monsieur PoliakofF announced the discovery of a 

 distinct species of the genus Eqinis, one example of which had been 

 obtained by the late Colonel Przewalski while searching for wild camels 

 in the deserts of Central Asia near Zaisan. 



"It is described," wrote the late Sir W. H. Flower,^ "as being so 

 intermediate in character between the equine and asinine group of Hqu'uice 

 that it completely breaks down the generic distinction which some 

 zoologists have thought fit to establish between them. It has callosities 

 on all tour limbs, as in the horse, but only the lower half of the tail is 

 covered with long hairs, as in the ass. The general colour is dun, with a 

 yellowish tinge on the hack, becoming lighter towards the Hanks and 

 almost white under the belly, and there is no dark dorsal stripe. The 

 mane is dark brown, short, and erect, and there is no forelock. The hair 

 is long and wavy on the head, cheeks, and jaws. The skull and hoofs are 

 described as being more like those of the horse than the ass. 



" Until more specimens are obtained it is ditEcult to form a definite 

 opinion as to the validity of this species, or to resist the suspicion that it 

 may not be an accidental hybrid between the kiang and the horse." 



This very natural supposition seems to be negatived by the fact that 



1 The Hone, p. 79 (189 1). 



