268 MAMMALIA. 



2. ASINUS. The ZEBRAS. 



Have the upper part of the tail covered with short hair, and 

 the lower part covered with longer hair forming a tuft ; the fur 

 marked with darker stripes ; the fore-legs only furnished with 

 hard horny warts in a similar situation to those in the front 

 legs of the Horse, but there are none in the lower part of the 

 hinder legs. 



Asinus, Gray, Zool. Journ. i. 261 ; Lesson, N. Tab. R. A. 166, 



1842. 



Chevaux (Asinus), F. Cuvier, Dent. Mam. 224. t. 92. 

 Equus, sp., Linn. 

 Asinine Group, H. Smith, Equidce, 298. 



* Colour nearly uniform with a dark longitudinal dorsal 

 stripe j some have a black stripe across the shoulders. The 

 Asses of Asia. 



Asses of Asia, Gray, Knowsley Menag. 74. 



f Ears elongated, acute. The Tame or Domestic Asses. 



These animals vary greatly in size and appearance according 

 to the climate. They are large and smooth-haired in the warmer 

 climates ; small and shaggy in the colder countries. 



It is very doubtful if the Domestic Ass is found in a truly 

 wild state ; the asses which have been described as wild, appear 

 rather to be domestic animals which have escaped, or mules be- 

 tween the Domestic Ass and the allied wild species ; for when 

 caught they, after a short time, submit themselves to man, which 

 is not the case with what I have here considered as the wild 

 kinds. 



Pallas justly observes, " In extensis Asise desertis primam pa- 

 triam esse quserendam Equi feri et Onagri a Nomadibus in 

 domesticos usus domatorum, seque ac Hemioni hactenus indo- 

 miti." Zool. Ross. A. i. 255. This is equally applicable to the 

 African species. 



1. ASINUS VULGARIS. The DOMESTIC Ass. 



Grey, with a longitudinal dorsal streak and a dark streak across 

 the shoulders ; ears elongate ; facial line arched. Skull with 

 suborbital foramen as in E. Hemionus. 



Equus asinus, Linn. ; Renger, Nat. Parag. 341 ; Pallas, Zool. 



R. A. i. 263. 

 Asinus vulgaris, Gray, Zool. Journ. i. 244 ; J. Brookes, Mus. 



Cat. 19; Gray, Knowsley Menag. 1\. 



