THE KIANG, THE QUAGOA, AND THE ZEBRA. 



247 



The color of this animal is pale reddish brown in the summer, fading 

 into a gray-brown in the winter, and marked with a black stripe along 

 the spine, becoming wider upon the middle of the back. 



Another species of Wild Ass is the Kiang, or Wild Ass of Thibet, 

 sometimes, but erroneously, called the Wild Horse of Thibet, because its 

 noise resembles the neighing of that animal rather than the braying of 

 the Ass. 



Africa produces some most beautiful examples of the Wild Asses, 

 equalling the Asiatic species in speed and beauty of form, and far sur- 

 passing them in richness of color and boldness of marking. 



The QuAGGA looks at first sight like a cross between the common 

 wild ass and the zebra, as it only partially possesses the characteristic 

 zebra stripes, and is decorated merely upon the hind and fore parts of 

 the body. The streaks are not so deep as they are in the zebra, and 

 the remainder of the body is brown, with the exception of the abdo- 

 men, legs, and part of the tail, which are whitish gray. The Quagga 

 lives in large herds, and is much persecuted by the natives of South- 

 ern Africa, who pursue it for the sake of its skin and its flesh, both of 

 which are in high estimation. 



Among all the species of the Ass tribe, the Zebra is by far the most 

 conspicuous and the most beautifuL 



The general color of the Zebra is a creamy white, marked regularly 

 with velvety black stripes that cover the entire head, neck, body, and 



The Zebra {Asinus Zebra). 



limbs, and extend down to the very feet. It is worthy of note that the 

 stripes are drawn nearly at right angles to the part of the body on which 

 they occur, so that the stripes of the legs are horizontal, while those of 



