3o8 ASSES. 



Varieties of Asses. — These animals may be divided into 

 the true or whole coloured asses, including the domestic or 

 Abyssinian ass, the onager, and the kiang ; and the striped 

 asses, comprising the mountain zebra, Burchell's zebra, Grevy's 

 zebra, and the quagga. 



The Domestic and Abyssinian Wild Ass {Eqims 

 asinus, see PI. 65). — The domestic ass or donkey is, with 

 hardly any doubt, identical with the handsome and speedy 

 wild ass which is found in North-eastern Africa, and which is 

 known as the Abyssinian wild ass. The chief characteristics 

 which distinguish it from other asses is the possession of a 

 nearly vertical black stripe running down the shoulders, from 

 the front of the withers, and the narrowness of the stripe down 

 the back. These two stripes, which are, as a rule, only from 

 a half to three-quarters of an inch wide, make the well-known 

 cross. Sir William Flower states that the shoulder stripe is 

 " sometimes double, and not infrequently altogether absent." 

 I believe the stripe down the back is now and then wanting. 

 It is not uncommonly seen among native bred, and especially 

 dun-coloured horses in India. This wild ass is of a light 

 mouse colour except on the muzzle, under part of the body, 

 and inside of the legs, which are more or less white. Its 

 coat, particularly in the case of the domestic ass, may vary 

 from white to a very dark brown, or even black, with tan 

 "points." This animal, both in a wild and tame state, 

 frequently shows dark horizontal stripes on its fore-arms. It 

 resembles the mountain zebra in having very large ears, 

 and a very large head compared to the length of its body. 

 From ancient Egyptian records we learn that this ass was 

 employed for domestic purposes in Egypt many centuries 



