264 THE WHITE OR GREY STOCK. 



lopidoe, whose black hides are protected by white 

 coats of hair ; yet if this effect were to be solely 

 ascribed to the climate, it would not account for 

 the dappled greys which are not uncommon in 

 Morocco ; all, however, are so intimately blended 

 with the true Arab blood, that we have described 

 them among the bay stock in our former pages. 



Tyhether from the nature of the food or the pre- 

 sence of particular kinds of Hippobosca, or Tabanus^ 

 or horse-flies, the grey races in the east of Europe 

 are subject to boils which produce great irritation. 

 By a natural instinct, all these animals tear them 

 open with their teeth ; and it is common, when 

 they feel their blood heated, to do the same thing, 

 and produce an effusion ; hence it is usual to find 

 their shoulders raw and bloody. Even the horses 

 of different colours, if they belong in part to the 

 grey stock, have the same propensity. It is most 

 observed in the Hungarian and in the grey Circas- 

 sian breeds, upon which the Russians have several 

 regiments superbly mounted. 



The grey stock having at all times excited atten- 

 tion from its colour, and been regarded as a fit 

 distinction for divinities and princes, * it is no 

 wonder that many breeds should have been carried 



* The solar gods, Apollo, Odin, Crishna, the Persian mo- 

 narchs, &c. all had possession of or access to the original 

 location of the white stock of horses, and are represented to 

 have used them. They dwelt on the Tanais, or came from 

 Farther Thrace, from Armenia, or their legends came from 

 quarters where the white horse was found. 



