THE ASIATIC WILD ASS. 31 



object, they seem anxious to find out all about it ; and often, 

 when stalking, one is annoyed by a brute who snorts, cocks his 

 ears, and then trots up to have a look at one. Any of his 

 friends who may be near at once follow his example, more 

 distant ones are attracted, and in a few minutes a herd of 

 fifty or sixty may be galloping in circles, effectually alarming 

 all the game in the country. 



" They will also sometimes sjDoil sport by actually chasing and 

 driving away other game from their pastures. I witnessed a 

 case of this in the Indus valley in 1866, when some goa which 

 I was stalking were hunted right away by some kyang. A 

 friend of mine had his stalk at some antelope spoiled in a 

 similar manner. 



" In places where they have not been disturbed, kyang will 

 frequently gaze at the sportsman within fifty yards without 

 betraying any fear, but merely curiosity. On the more fre- 

 quented routes which are annually traversed by tourists the 

 kyang are much more shy, and seem to know the range of a 

 rifle well. Of course, there is no sport in shooting such an 

 animal ; but the skin of one is occasionally useful to mend 

 one's shoes with, and in some parts, as Ladak, the Tartars eat 

 the flesh with avidity. I have tried it, and found it tough and 

 coarse." 



Colonel Kinloch adds that he saw it stated some 

 years ago that a cross had been obtained between the 

 kiang and the ass at the Jardin des Plantes^ and that he 

 should imagine that the cross between the kiang and the 

 horse would be a most valuable animal^ possessing all the 

 good qualities of the ordinary mule, with greater size and 

 strength, and better shape. I may state that in the 

 opinion of experienced mule breeders, the points of the 

 kiang are not such as would render its hybrid offspring as 

 valuable as the ordinary mule. 



I am not aware that the Tartars have ever utilised the 

 kiang as a domesticated animal, and for any detailed 



