THE WILD HORSE. l65 



watery places, the wild herds being less in want of 

 drink and more unwilling to encounter water, being 

 even said not to be able to swim ; while the Muzin 

 will cross considerable rivers. During winter, both 

 resort to elevated ground where the winds have 

 swept away the snow, or dig with their fore feet 

 and break the ice to get at their food. 



Their olfactory sense, though not delicate in dis- 

 tinguishing enemies at great distances, is remarkable 

 for judging the nature of swamps, which they often 

 traverse, particularly to the south of Lake Aral: 

 when thus entangled at fault, their scent indicates 

 the passable places, and the snorting of the first 

 that finds one is immediately observed and followed 

 by the others. * 



The genuine wild species is migratory, proceed- 

 ing northward in summer to a considerable dis- 

 tance, and returning early in autumn. The mixed 

 races wander rather in the direction of the pas- 

 tures than to a point of the compass ; nearer Europe, 

 they haunt the vicinity of cultivation, and attack 

 the hay-stacks which the farmers make at a dis- 

 tance in the open country. Though in many respects 

 they have similar manners, they want the instinct 

 of the wild : upon being taken young, after severe 

 resistance, they submit to slavery. The Tarpans 

 always die of ennui in a short time, if they do not 

 break their own necks in resisting the will of man : t 



* I have seen South American horses extricate themselves 

 in the same manner. 



t This assertion, as in other cases, is not consistent with 



