THE ASIATIC WILD ASS. 23 



THE ONAGEE. 



G-HOK-KHUEj Hindi; Ghouk or Kheedecht, Persian; Koulan, 

 Kirghiz ; Ghue, GhtjeaNj Balncli. 



The geographical race or variety of the Asiatic ass 

 usually spoken of as the Onager is well illustrated in the 

 engraving from a specimen sent to the Zoological Gardens 

 in 1873 by Captain Henry Lowther Nutt^ who, writing 

 to the secretary of the Zoological Society, stated : 



" I ran it down on the Eunn of Kutch. I was riding hard 

 after it for three hours and five minutes, and the estimated 

 length of the chase was forty miles. I rode two horses, as I 

 discovered from the 'puggies,' or watchers near the Eunn, 

 that, if the animals were disturbed from where they were, they 

 would prohably make for another place some twelve or thirteen 

 miles distant. I was, therefore, able to post a fresh party of 

 horsemen, and a fresh horse for myself, at the place further on ; 

 and true enough the herd did make for the spot indicated, so 

 that the running was taken up and continued with fresh horses, 

 and in this way the capture was effected, but even then not 

 imtil both my horses, which were in good order at the time, 

 had been ridden to a standstill. This will give you an idea of 

 the speed and endurance of these animals." 



. A full account of the exciting chase of this specimen was 

 published by Captain Nutt in the Oriental Sporting 

 Magazine, under the title of "Donkey Hunting on the 

 Eunn of Kutch." The engraving of the , animal with its 

 syce was copied from a photograph forwarded from India 

 by Mr. Eraser S. Hore, in whose possession the animal 

 remained some time previous to its embarkation. Mr. 

 Hore, in a letter to Mr. C. L. Sutherland, writes as 

 follows : 



" I send yoa two photographs and an account of the animal in 



