CHAPTER IV. 

 THE WILD ASS OF SOMALILAND. 



{Equus asinus somalicus, Sclater.) 



This animal was brought under the notice of the Fellows 

 of the Zoological Society in November, 1884, when the 

 secretary, Mr. P. L. Sclater, described and exhibited a skin, 

 and called attention to a fine specimen then living in the 

 Gardens, having been deposited by Mr. Hagenbeck. Mr. 

 Sclater at the same time called attention to another 

 African wild ass (E. asinus), from the Nubian desert, 

 which was purchased in May, 1881, and compared the 

 two, demonstrating that they belonged to distinct species 

 or sub-species. 



As will be seen by the engraving from Mr. Smit's 

 drawing, which appeared in the Proc. Zoolog. Soc, 1884, 

 the Somali ass differs from the ordinary African wild ass 

 in its more greyish colour, in the entire absence of the 

 cross-strip'3 over the shoulders, in the very slight indication 

 of the dorsal line, and more especially in the numerous 

 black markings on both front and hind legs. It has, like- 

 wise, smaller ears, and a longer mane. 



These cannot be regarded as individual variation «, 

 for they were present in the skin from Somaliland, 

 which was exhibited at the same time by Mr. Sclater. 

 Moreover, Mr. E. Lort Phillips, who visited the Berberah 

 district in March, 1884, ascertained that the wild asses 



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