S2 NATURALIST'S CABINET. 



Wild horses. 



race, but adulterated; and the third is that of 

 the inferior or common kind. 



The wild horses of Arabia, though very active 

 and beautiful, are not so large as those that are 

 bred up tame. They are, in general, of a brown 

 colour; their mane and tail very short, and the 

 hair black and tufted. Such is their astonishing 

 swiftness, that it is utterly impossible to pursue 

 them in the usual manner of the chase, with 

 dogs; as they are almost instantly out of sight, 

 and the dogs themselves soon relinquish the vain 

 pursuit. It is, therefore, customary to take them 

 by traps concealed in the sand, whence the hun- 

 ter carries them home, and soon subjugates them 

 by fatigue and hunger, to perfect obedience. 

 The great value of Arabian horses, however, has, 

 of late years, thinned the deserts, and there are 

 now, comparatively speaking, but few to be 

 found in those countries except such as are tame. 



In Ukraine, Tartary, where wild horses are 

 often found, from the impracticability of taming 

 them, they are made no otherwise serviceable to 

 man than as food. The flesh both of the young 

 and old animals is frequently exposed for sale in 

 the markets. The latter is said to eat much like 

 beef; whilst that of the foals is as white and 

 more tender than veal. 



The wild horses of South America are of Spa* 

 nish origin, and entirely of the Andalusian breed. 

 They ate now become so numerous as to be 



