356 



distressed by the heat of the weather : it took no notice whatever of 

 its rider. I have been accustomed to have the animal groomed with 

 a curry-comb. I should recommend this to be continued ; it will 

 keep the animal docile and improve its appearance, 



I was convinced of the Kiang's specific difference from the wild 

 Ass of Scinde, when I saw one of the latter at Delhi, intended for 

 conveyance to England, and this made me persevere the more to get 

 it home, 



I have often watched the herds of this animal on the plains or 

 slopes of hills in Tibet ; one invariably stands sentry at from 1 00 to 

 200 yards from the flock, and when danger is at hand he commences 

 walking leisurely towards his companions. They take the alarm, and 

 as soon as he comes up, oflF all go together in a trot or canter as the 

 case may require. 



I don't know to what space to limit the range of the Kiang. Marco 

 Polo speaks of Asses, hut evidently alludes to those of Persia. 

 Hue and Gabet evidently saw them towards Lassa ; and I have 

 been told that they are to be met with on all the level country between 

 Ladak and Lassa, or in the valleys between the various ranges, I 

 have seen them only north of the great Himalayan ranges, first upon 

 the Rupcher plains and in the neighbourhood of the Salt Lakes, often 

 in company with the Ovis amnion or " Nyan." I have also seen 

 them north of the Pang- Kong lake. The passes from Hindustan 

 into Tibet are never open before June, when I have seen flocks of 

 the Kiang feeding almost entirely on the roots of a species of Ai'te- 

 misia, or Worm-wood. 



Their natural enemies besides man seemed to be a white panther, 

 which lurks amongst the rocks ; and a large species of wolf. I have 

 found their skeletons on the melting of the snow. 



Beyond the Pang-Kong lake I was informed that in winter many 

 of them were to be seen in the Shap-Yok valley, in company with 

 wild Yaks or Dong, also the " Nyan " {Ovis mnmoii), and the " Sus " 

 or Tibetan Antelope (Panthalops hodgsoni). A few tamarisk bushes 

 seem then to support them, and at the end of winter all these animals 

 are spoken of as being like walking skeletons. I have sometimes 

 approached flocks of Kiang quite close, at other times could not get 

 within a mile of them. On one occasion two Kiangs followed a pony 

 on which I had a servant mounted, — in fact, kept so close that my 

 servant feared they were going to attack him. 



I never could ascertain satisfactorily when the Kiang breeds ; but 

 I think it must bring forth in winter, for I have seen a mare shot 

 with a young one in the womb, nearly mature, in August ; and in the 

 many flocks I have met with running wild I never perceived a foal 

 that I should have taken to be of less than six months old. When 

 very young, the hair of the foal has the appearance of wool. The 

 winter coat of the adult is also very thick and curly, and is of darker 

 colour than its summer coat. It appears to shed its winter coat in 

 May, 



The Kiang may be said to inhabit plains and undulating hills, at 

 from 15,000 to 16,500 feet above the sea; if found in the steeper 



