African Wild Ass. . 



HOUSES. 511 



The African wild ass (E. asinus) is a very distinct animal from 

 'its Asiatic cousin, having much longer ears, a shorter mane, and the 

 tail more scantily haired. The general colour of the hair is a creamy or bluish 

 grey, without any decided rufous tinge, and there is usually a well-defined dark 

 shoulder-stripe, as well as dark bars on the limbs. The muzzle, a patch under the 

 throat, and the under-parts are white, and there is frequently a large amount of 



THE AFRICAN WILD ASS (^ nat. size). 



white on the limbs. There is some amount of individual variation in regard to the 

 relative length of the ears, mane, tail, and limbs ; and the degree of development of 

 the shoulder and leg-stripes is also variable, the former being sometimes very narrow 

 and faintly marked, while in other cases the latter markings may be absent. The 

 height may reach 4 feet 8 inches (14 hands) at the withers. 



Distribution and The African wild ass is widely distributed in the desert regions 



Habits. O f North - Eastern Africa, occurring in Abyssinia, Somaliland, the 



Sudan, and other districts in the neighbourhood of the Ked Sea. Sir Samuel Baker 



