1862.] DR. SCLATEIl ON WILD ASSES. 163 



June 10, 1862. 

 Professor Busk, F.R.S., in the Chair. 



Dr. Sclater exhibited, on behalf of Capt. J. W. P. Orde, F.Z.S., a 

 specimen of a black variety of the Water- Vole (Arvicula amphibius ?), 

 also remarkable for its posteriorly elongated hairs and rather long 

 tail, obtained in Argyllshire ; and a Red-crested Duck (Branta ru- 

 find), shot January 18G2 on a freshwater lake in the same county, 

 where it was observed in company with Golden-eye {Clangula 

 glaucion). 



Dr. Sclater also exhibited some drawings representing the four 

 generally recognized species of Wild Asses, and made some remarks 

 on the geographical distribution and distinctive peculiarities of these 

 animals, and on the specimens of them exhibited in the Society's 

 Menagerie. The species, as commented upon, were as follows : — 



1. AsiNus HEMiONus, cx Asia boreali. 



The Kiang or Tibetan Wild Ass, of which the Society had a fine 

 female specimen in the Menagerie, presented by Major Hay in 1859*, 

 seemed to be without doubt the true Equus hemionus of Pallas, and 

 as such entitled to bear that name, as proposed to be restored to it 

 by Dr. Gray in his ' List of Ungulata,' published in 1852. 



2. AsiNus iNDicus, ex deserto Indico. 



The Wild Ass of Cutch, of which the Society had in their Mena- 

 gerie a single example, presented by Sir T. Erskine Perry in 1849, 

 had been commonly called Efpius hemionus. It was, however, ob- 

 viously distinct from the Tibetan animal, but apparently hardly sepa- 

 rable from the next species. 



3. AsiNus HEMippus, ex Persia et Syria. 



Of this Ass, lately named Asinus hemippiis by M. I. G. St.-Hilairef, 

 but which was probably the E. onager of Pallas, and seemed hardly 

 diflFerent from the Indian animal, the Society possessed two speci- 

 mens, both females. One of these was from Persia, having been 

 presented by the Hon. Charles Murray in 1859;!l, and represented 



* See Proc. Zool. Soc. 1859, p. 353. 



t Compt. Rend. xli. p. 1214. 



I Mr. Murray has kindly furnished rae with the following note concerning this 

 animal : — " The Ghour or Kherdecht of the Persians is doubtless the Onager of 

 the ancients. Your specimen was caught, when a foal, on the range of mountains 

 which stretch from Kermanshah on the west in a S.E. direction to Shiraz. These 

 are inhabited by several wild and half-independent tribes, the most powerful of 

 which are the Buchtzari. The Ghour is a remarkably fleet animal, and moreover 

 so shy and enduring that he can rarely be overtaken by the best-mounted horse- 

 men in Persia. For this reason they chase them now, as they did in the time of 

 Xenophon, by placing relays of horsemen at intervals of eight or ten miles. These 

 relays take up the chase successively, and tire down the Ghour. The flesh of the 

 Ghour is esteemed a great delicacy, not being held unclean by the Moslem, as it 

 was in the Mosaic code. I do not know whether this species is ever known to 



