MASAI, TURKANA, stJK, XANDI, ETC. 817 



village during 



the daytime, and when half grown usually accompany 

 their mothers to the pasture. 



The Masai frequently possess herds of donkeys, and these are driven 

 in at night wdthin the thorn enclosure, though allowed otherwise to wander 

 about unhampered inside the village. The ass of the ."Masai is the ordinary 

 wild ass (the origin of om- domestic donkey) of North-Eastern Africa 

 {Equus i(imiojms) ;. indeed, it is almost impossible to see any difference- 

 between the wild ass of Nubia and the Egyptian Sudan and the doinestie 



455. M.iSAI DONKEYS 



ass of the Masai, which has now become the common domestic' ass of 

 Eastern Africa and the Zanzibar coast-line. The African wild ass* is a 

 large beast of a pinkish grey colour, with a whitish muzzle and black nose- 

 and lips. The mane is black, and so are the tips and rims of the ears. 

 There is a black stripe all along the back to the end of the tail, and 

 there is one broad stripe down each shoulder. Occasionally faint black 

 stripes are seen on the legs. This animal is more nearly related to the 

 wild asses of Asia than it is to the zebras of Africa. Its range in a wild 



* The Somalilancl form is a distinct species which has no shoulder stripe, but. 

 on the other hand, is distinctly barred on the legs with black stripes. 



