92 



gome niiturallsts do, to the opinion that the geographical distrihution 

 of animals is regulated b_v mean temperature, the Dzeggetui of Pallas 

 inhal)iting the borders of the arctic regions, the Wild Ass of India the 

 borders of the torrid zone. There might be yet further question for 

 doubt, did we take the description of colour from Griffith's edition of the 

 ' Rfegne Animal,' in which it is stated ' there is a black dorsal line 

 which enlarges on the crupper. In winter the hair is very long ; 

 but of a smooth and shining appearance in summer. The colour of 

 the body is an uniform light bay, but in winter it partakes more of 

 red* ;' and the forehead is described as 'flatted and narrow.' 



"M. St. Hilaire, who describes from the life, saj's ' Les deuxcou- 

 leurs dominantes de I'Hemione, le blanc et I'isabelle passent I'une a 

 I'autre par nuances insensibles sur le ventre, vers sa partie inferieure, 

 et sur le cou, presque ci egal distance de son bord superieur, et de 

 son bord inferieur. Sur la tete au contraire, le blanc n'occupe 

 gu^re que le museau et la gorge, le cou etant presque enti^rement 

 isabelle. Sur les membres, contrairement a ce qui alien sur le corps, 

 c'est le blanc qui domine, &c.' Again, ' Tout ce systeme de colo- 

 ration est rebasse superieurement par une bande dorsale longitudi- 

 nale, non pas woiVe comme on I'a dit, mais d'un brunleg^rementrous- 

 satre.' And now with respect to the change of colour with the season 

 of the year, instead of getting redder in winter it would appear from 

 the observations of M. Fred. Cuvier, that the ' animal a le poll plus 

 gris, plus jmIs et plus long I'hlver que I'ete.' These discrepancies 

 would have afforded to those strongly disposed to multiply species, 

 some feeble grounds (particularly when I come to notice a point of 

 conformation in the head,) for asserting the right of the Wild Ass of 

 Cutch to the dignity of a specific character, for it will be borne in 

 mind that M. St. Hilaire describes his specimen, which was a native 

 of Cutch ; while in Griffith's Cuvier the description refers to the Dzeg- 

 gct.ai, whose habitat is from southern Siberia to Thibet and China ; 

 and we do not want instances of equally trifling discrepancies having 

 been made available for multiplying species. 



" And now with respect to the animals in the Zoological Gardens, 

 the one being called Dzeggetai, and marked on its ticket Mongolia 

 and Asia ; the other known positively as the Wild Ass fi-om Cutch. 

 The first, a male, has been in the possession of the Society since the 

 3rd of March 1832, and was presented to the Society by Captain 

 Glasspoole, R.N. Its birth-place is not known, but from the nature 

 of Captain Glasspoole's maritime duties, which carried his ship along 

 the coasts Cutch, Scind, and Persia, there is little doubt of its being 

 from one of these states ; and as it is absolutely identical with the 

 animal I am about to speak of, my own judgement is formed on the- 

 subject. This creature has long been known in the gardens from its- 

 great beauty, its fine condition, its vivacity, and its wickedness. 

 The second animal was sent while quite a colt by an old friend of 

 mine, the British Minister in Cutch, to the Military Auditor General 

 of Bombay. It was allowed for a considerable period, (pending an 

 answer from me, whether or not I would accept of it,) to amuse the 

 * Quarto edit., vol. iii. p. -160. 



