50 



THE EXISTING EQUIDAE 



[CH. 



According to the Book of Wonderful Stories^ attributed to 

 Aristotle, one of the wild asses led the herd, and whenever any 

 of the younger stallions attempted to serve a mare, the master 

 stallion became furious, pursued the colt until he caught him, 

 then stooping down behind him he emasculated him with his 

 teeth. A like belief is still current in India respecting the 

 wild asses of Cutch. 



In early days the wild ass was well known in Paphlagonia, 

 for Horner^, when speaking of the Eneti who came from thence 



Fig. 24. The Nubian "Wild Ass^. 



to aid Priam and the Trojans, describes their land as "the home 

 of wild mules." There can be little doubt that the wild mule 



^ 10 (831 a 22) : (pacriv ev "Zvpicf, tCov aypiwv ovoif eva diprjyeicrdai ttjs dyiXrii, 

 €Trei.dav d^ tis vetbrepoi wV tQu ttuXuv e-jri Tiva drjXeiav dva^fj, tov dcpr^youfiepov 

 6v/xovcr6ai, Kai 8i.wKeiv ecjs rovrov 'iu>% dv KaTaXd^rj tov ttQXov, /cat inroKV\l/as 67rt ra 

 oirladia aK^Xrj ti^ (XTbfx.ari dTrocnrday to. ai.5oia. 



- II. II. 8.52, 'EveTQv ijdev rj/xidfuv yevos dyporepdoiv. 



^ The illustration is from a photograph of the specimen in the Zoological 

 Gardens, Dublin, taken by Mr G. E. Low and given to me by my friend 

 Dr ScharU, the Director of the Gardens. 



