180 



Paciiydeemata.- 



-MAMMALIA.- 



-Pacityderjiata. 



tion, not even excei'ting the mountain zebra, more 

 6iilenclidly attired, or presenting a picture of more 

 singularly attractive beauty, than this free-born of the 

 desert. It would be dilBcult to convey to the unini- 

 tiated a suitable idea oi the sparkling effect produced 

 by their vivid and strikingly-contrasted colours, when 

 seen pawing the valley in all tlie pride of conscious 

 liberty, or flj'ing in compact columns before the eques- 

 trian foe." Warming up with the vision of a mighty 

 herd bomiding over the sandy main, our eloquent 

 author continues : — " Anon, a dark pillar of dust rises 

 from the plain, and undisturbed by any breath in 

 heaven, mounts upward to the clear azure sky like a 

 MTeath of smoke — three ill-omened vultures soaruig in 

 circles above it. Nearer and more near rolls on the 

 thickeiung column, until several dark li\'iug objects are 

 shortly perceived dancing beneath it. Emerging from 

 the obscurity, their glossy and exquisitely variegated 

 coats, glittering in tlie sun's rays, ventre an terre, the 

 head of a column of Burchell's zebras next appears, 

 and instantly afterwards tlie serried horde sweep past 

 in gallant array; their hoofs clattering on the hard 

 ground like a regiment of dragoons. Tearing by at 

 racing speed, straining neck and neck mth their shaggy 

 wliimsical-looking bovine allies {i.e. Brinilled Gnoos), 

 their o-^vn striped and proudly curved necks seem as if 

 they were clothed with thmider, and their snowy tails 

 are streaming behind them. Now the troop has 

 wheeled and halted for an instant to siu'vey the foe. 

 A powerful stallion advances a few paces with distended 

 nostrils and stately gait ; his mane newly hogged, and 

 his ample tail switchuig his gaily checkered thighs. 

 Hastily reconnoitruig the huntsman, he snorts wildly, 

 and instantly gallops back to his cohort. Away they 

 scour agaui, neighing and tossing their striped heads 

 aloft, switching tlieir light mule-like tails in all the 

 pride of fleetness and freedom. Another halt and 

 another nconnoissanee. Her small equine ears laid 

 viciously down, a skittish mare has now fallen out of 

 the ranks, and is in the act of deliveruig both her 

 active heels plump into the ribs of an admirer, whose 

 wantonness has prompted him to seize a tempting 

 ojiportunity for inflicting upon her sternmn an amorous 

 bite ; and now, with a neigh of exultation and a vain- 



glorious toss of her coquettish head, free and unfettered 

 as the wind, away she careers again, still waited upon 

 by her lover, who is notldng damited by bis rebuff; 

 and their forms are finally concealed by the cloud whicli 

 follows the heels of the again retreating squadron." A 

 gorgeous sjjecimen of this tridy beautiful species, may 

 now be seen in the Regent's Park menagerie. 



THE ASS {Asinus viihjaris) has been generically 

 separated by Dr. J. E. Gray, and is readily dis- 

 tinguished from the various kinds of horse by its 

 tail, which is clothed with short hair at the upper 

 part, and only tufted at the extremity ; the hind legs 

 being likewise devoid of warty callosities. The fur 

 has a grey colour, and exhiljits a dark streak along 

 the central line of the back, crossed by a similar band 

 running over the shoulders. The ears are of great 

 length ; the forehead being also sliglitly arched. Re- 

 specting the qualities of this animal, we need say little. 

 No unfortunate beast of burden is so much neglected 

 on the one hand, or maltreated on the other. As to 

 its origin, naturalists are di«ded in opinion ; some 

 maintainmg that it is a domesticated variety of the 

 Koulan, or wild ass of Persia [Asinus onager), others 

 believing that the last-named is oidy the domestic ani- 

 mal which has returned to a wild state — the original 

 stock having altogether disappeared. Wliichever view 

 is correct, we think there can be little doubt tliat the 

 two forms are specifically identical, and consequently 

 that they have descended from a common parent. 



THE KIANG [Asinus Heniiumis), or Tsciiikitei, is 

 anotlier kind of wild ass, intermediate in character 

 between the above-described species and the horse. 

 The ears are of moderate length, the fur is smooth, 

 and of a bright rufous-bay tmt ; the legs having a pale 

 straw colour. A dark broad streak runs along the 

 central line of the back, but it is not crossed by any 

 similar band over the shoulders. The Kiangs herd 

 together in small numbers, roaming over tlie sandy 

 steppes of Central Asia. The males are fine animals, 

 standing sometimes as much as fourteen hands high 

 at the shoulder ; and, moreover, they neigh like horses. 

 A noble specimen has been recently brought over 

 to this country, and may be seen in the Zoological 

 Society's JMenagerie, Regent's Park. 



Ordei; XI.-PACIIYDEKMATA. 



Although naturalists are divided in opuiion as to the 

 best mode of classifymg the non-ruminating hoofed 

 quadrupeds, all are agi-eed that tiie dissimilar groups, 

 collectively associated by Cuvier under the title of 

 raehydermata. cannot fairly be regarded as zoologi- 

 cally equivalent to the Runihiantia. It is in this view 

 tliat we have adopted a somewhat modified outiine of 

 the Cuvierian arrangement, while at the same time we 

 are prepared to recognize the more perfected idea 

 developed in the recent classification of the Mammalia 

 by Professor Owen. The Pachydermata, as here 

 retained, can scarcely be recognized as havuig any 

 (ipecial characteristic common to tiie entire order, 



unless we are permitted to notify the more or less 

 hardened skin, which is to a considerable extent naked 

 or destitute of hair. In our opinion, too much stress 

 has been laid upon this dermal peculiarity, seeing that 

 it is shared by many other Mammaha, and is in no wise 

 distinctive ; the order lias, however, derived its name 

 from this trivial circumstance. Hitherto we have 

 detailed the more remarkable features of tlie several 

 natural groups in a general introduction to each order; 

 but such is tlie variety of character presented by the 

 several families in the present instance, that it is 

 better to reserve these particulars for separate cou- 

 sideratiou. 



