46 PURCHASING FROM THE STABLES. 



THE COLOUR. 



The best colour for an Arab is the grey, 

 roan, or white,* and next to this the lighter 

 kind of chestnut, but the former are rightly pre- 

 ferred ; for, caste, bone, shape, freedom from dis- 

 eases, hardiness of constitution, and good feet, are 

 certainly, generally, more conspicuous in some- 

 thing of the grey colour. In the Persian less 

 so, the grey, chestnut, and bay, having the good 

 qualities about equally distributed between them. 

 Some of the Arabs say, the highest caste horses 

 are generally bay, and they ought to know best. 

 I speak of what come to India. " A good horse 

 cannot be of a bad colour ;" but there is a great 

 deal of fancy in colour, some outre people pre- 

 ferring a dirty white, or dun, piebald, or tiger- 

 marked. 



* A writer from Edinburgh says, " It is a remarkable fact, 

 that an Arabian of a dark gi'ey colom* was never known in 

 India as a winner. Bays, chestnuts, and silver greys are al- 

 ways to be depended on. I am, &c. &c. Thos. Brown." 

 This must have been my old friend, Mr. Green, whom I am 

 about to introduce you to, at my last page ; for a letter 

 signed Zeal replies. Mercury, Pyramus, Renegade, Emilius, 

 Bundaola, Sackcloth, and Harmonica, were all iron-greys. 



