310 THE ONAGER. 



tlie chase of them, from the time of Rustum to the 

 l^resent, has always been held the pastime of heroes 

 and princes. It was in hunting the Gour or Guhr 

 that Baharam V. perished, and Oleariiis still speaks 

 of a number of them being slain in his presence by 

 the Shah and his court. 



The manners of this species are very similar to 

 those of the wild horse and Djiggetai, like them 

 forming herds under the guidance of a leader, and 

 with similar distrust watching and escaping from 

 the presence of danger; but the curiosity of the 

 males is greater, for in their flight they stop and 

 look round, resuming their speed to stop and look 

 again ; perhaps, indeed, from want of wind to con- 

 tinue a protracted pace without interruption. They 

 are mountain animals, invariably seeking refuge 

 among precipices, which they ascend with ease, 

 looking down upon the pursuers when they have 

 reached the summit and believe in their security. 



The Ghoor-Khur of Ladakh, according to Moor- 

 croft, is white about the nose and under the neck, 

 the belly, and legs ; the back is light bay, and the 

 mane dun : they herd in droves, fly at a trot, stop, 

 look back, and then fly ofi" with wonderful speed 

 and wildness, being never taken alive. The same 



lay them in their passage : over Hindukoh they could not 

 come ; further west the Jaxartes and Oxus intervene, and the 

 asinine group are not swimmers : the niigTation is probably 

 only a few hundred miles either way, about Tomsk, and simi- 

 larly on the south of the great chains do^\'n the Indus. The 

 species or races of Africa and Western Asia do not migrate, 

 excepting in following the herbage. 



