ORDER PERISSODACTYLA .' ODD-TOED UNGULATES 351 



cate reddish ash-gray ; snout gray ; behind it a broad, light gray band 

 from the nose to beyond the corner of the mouth ; a light ring about 

 the eye ; inner surface of ears ash-gray, with black border and tip ; 

 outer surface of ears yellowish red ; mane light gray basally , fuscous 

 above; shoulder stripe absent; a dark but not very pronounced 

 median dorsal stripe extending from the lumbar region to the tail 

 tuft; forelegs yellowish gray anteriorly, light gray posteriorly; dark 

 bands about all the legs up to the level of the body, but only on the 

 anterior side of the forelegs (Noack, 1884, pp. 101-102). Height at 

 shoulder about 51 inches (Menges, 1887, p. 262). Pocock (1909, 

 p. 528) remarks on a seasonal change of color, from clear gray in 

 summer to sandy fawn in winter. 



Menges (1887, pp. 263-267) gives the following account: 



The range is apparently restricted to Somaliland and part of the 

 Red Sea coastal plain south of Massaua, Eritrea; it probably in- 

 cludes the Danakil region and extends south to the Webi Shebeli. 

 A particular habitat is the coastal lowlands, where the animal is 

 not exactly rare; another favored haunt is the barren Hekebo Pla- 

 teau (2,000 feet high), southeast of Bulhar. It is commonly found in 

 herds of 5 to 20 head, and is extremely shy and cautious. 



In general it leads a rather undisturbed existence, though occa- 

 sionally falling victim to the Leopard or the Lion. Most of the 

 Somalis do not touch the flesh, but one or two tribes pursue the 

 animal to some extent. Only a few hides are brought from the 

 interior to the coastal markets. On the other hand, in the coast 

 districts of the Red Sea the Wild Ass is eagerly pursued, with the 

 object of shipping captured animals to Arabia, where they are used 

 for crossing with the Domestic Ass. One result of this crossing is 

 the hardy and beautiful riding ass of Yemen. Among the Somalis 

 themselves one finds many Domestic Asses bearing evidence of 

 crossing with the wild animals. 



"In certain parts of Guban, notably in the sterile district lying 

 near the coast, about twenty miles east of Berbera, the Wild Ass is 

 not very uncommon. We met with it also in considerable numbers 

 on the high plateau west of Laferug, and also saw some individuals 

 south of the Golis Range .... The flesh of these animals is very 

 good, almost the best we ate in Somaliland .... It does not seem 

 to be a very plentiful species even in the country of its nativity, 

 and I should judge it would not require much persecution to speedily 

 extinguish the race." (Elliot, 1897, pp. 139-140.) 



"The Somali wild ass is fairly common. I first met with them 

 about twenty miles to the south of Berbera, and they are also found 

 on the plateau to the south of the Golis range. They do not live on 

 the mountain ranges, but frequent the low stony hills in the desert. 



