88 THE HOUSE. 



resembles certain breeds of the well-known domestic 

 animal as to leave little donbt as to their identity. 

 This has been called JEqiius tceniopus (band or stripe- 

 footed) by Heuglin, on account of the frequent pres- 

 ence of black ; transverse markings upon the lower 

 parts of its limbs. If its identity with E. asinus 

 is admitted, the former name will no longer be re- 

 quired. It differs from the Asiatic species in being of 

 a more pure gray and less rufous or yellowish color, 

 and especially in the presence of a more or less dis- 

 tinct vertical, black mark (sometimes faint and nar- 

 row) on the shoulder, corresponding to the stripe so 

 constantly seen in the common domestic animals. 

 Its ears are also of greater length than in the Asi- 

 atic species of wild ass. Sir Samuel Baker says: 

 " Those who have seen donkeys only in their civil- 

 ized state have no conception of the beauty of the 

 wild or original animal. It is the perfection of activ- 

 ity and courage, and has a high-bred tone in its de- 

 portment, a high-actioned step when it trots freely 

 over the rocks and sand, with the speed of a horse 

 when it gallops over the boundless desert." 



As with most other animals of the group, its flesh 

 is eaten and much appreciated by the natives of the 

 countries in which it lives. The bray of the Abys- 

 sinian wild ass is the same as that so characteristic 

 of the domestic variety, and the marked aversion of 



