THE NEAREST ALLIES OF THE HORSE. 8Q 
‘ Hars—Shorter than onager (Blyth). 
[ Head—Smaller than onager (Blyth). 
Remarks—-Found in Syria, Mesopotamia, and North Africa. 
5. Equus tmxtopus (Hengl.) As. teeniopus; Abyssinian wild ass. 
Characters—As of Hig. onager; stripes frequent on hind legs. 
Habitat—Abyssinia and the desert plains between the Nile and 
the Red Sea. 
Horny appendages—Hoofs as broad as those of a horse of fifteen 
hands in height (Baker) ; remarkably large, wide, and firm, 
Colour—A reddish cream tinged with the shade most prevalent 
of the ground it inhabits (Sir S. Baker). 
Markings—Cross bands on legs and shoulder stripes. 
Size —13'3 to 14 hands, of a fine male (Baker). 
Rayment shows that a small breed of donkeys in Muscat is 
remarkable for hardihood, endurance, and viciousness, qualities to 
| an extent due to constant crossing with the wild stallion from the 
' Assyrian desert captured for the purpose (probably the hemippe). 
Remarks—Supposed to be the nearest feral representative of the 
domestic ass. ‘The perfection of activity and courage, and has a 
§ high-bred tone in the deportment, a high actioned step when it trots 
freely over the rocks and sand, with the speed of the horse when it 
gallops over the boundless desert.” (Baker.) 
6. Equus nemionus (Pallas): Kiang; Tschiketai; Thibetan wild 
ass; kulan; the wild horse (Cunningham); djang (Tangutans), 
Mane and tail—Mane dun (Moorcroft). 
Colour—Upper parts dull ruddy brown or chestnut rufous hue 
approaching bay, especially about the head; distinctly darker at the 
flanks, where it abruptly contrasts with the white on the belly. 
Coat varies according to season, smooth and rufous in warm weather ; 
legs a pale straw. Darker in colour than onager. 
Markings—Dorsal stripe black ; absent, obscure or well developed, 
extending to tail tuft, broad on croup. No zebra stripes either 
in adult or foal (Walker). Shoulder stripe sometimes distinct, 
often but faint or rudimentary ; generally absent. 
Size—Fourteen hands. 
¥ Habits—Wary, swift, difficult to approach, inquisitive, lives in 
small troops or herds in Thibet and Central Asia. Moorcroft saw 
