344 MAMMALIA. BELLU2E. Horfe. 



Inhabits the mountainous deferts of Great Tartary, from whence it migrates during winter into 

 India and ?erfia, efpecially about Cafbin, where it is found all the year ; is likewife found in the 

 fouth of India, as far as the mountains of Malabar and Golconda; was anciently found in Natolia, 

 Syria, Arabia, and Africa. — This animal is much more elegantly formed, and ftands higher on its 

 legs than the Common Afs, and is exceedingly active and fwift; although extremely fierce in its wild 

 ftate, it is very readily tamed, efpecially when caught young ; it has a moft exquifite fenfe of fmell- 

 ing, and very acute vifion ; is particularly fond of fait ponds and fprings, and of faline and bitter 

 plants : The general colour is white with a filvery fplendour, the top of the head, neck, and fides, 

 being pale yellow ; the mane is dulky or blackifh brown ; and along the back is a lift of a coffee 

 colour, compofed of waved bufhy hairs, and crofled, in the males, by a fimilar band at the fhoulders ; 

 the hairs are fofter than thofe of a Horfe ; the fkin makes excellent leather, and, by a particular 

 mode of preparation, that which grows about the rump is manufactured, at Aftrachan, and in Perfia, 

 into chagrin ; the flcfh is much efteemed by the Kirgifian Tartars. The Onager meafures almoft 

 feven feet from the tip of the nofe to the origin of the tail, of which the head is two feet, and is 

 four feet two inches high before, and four inches higher at the rump, the tail is about two feet, and 

 the ears almoft a foot in length ; the female is confiderably fmaller, and lefs ftrongly made, than the 

 male, and wants the dark coloured crofs band at the fhoulders : The upper part of the face, the neck, 

 and fides, are flaxen coloured ; the fore parts are divided from the hind by a white band round the 

 body at the flanks ; the belly and legs are white, and the dufky lift on the back is edged on each fide 

 with white: The winter coat is fine, foft, filky, much waved, and feels greafy; while the fummer 

 coat is fmooth, filky, and even, except fome fhaded rays pointing downwards at the fides of the neck. 



764 |8. Domeftic Afs.— 2. (1. E. Afmus domejiicus. 



The fore-head is rather flat ; the mane is fliort ; the ears are long and flouching. 



'Ovo;. Arift. hift. an, i. c. 17. ii. c. 18. v. c. II. vi. c. 23. — Afinus. Plin. hift. nat. viii. c. 43. 

 Gefn. quad. 3. f. p. 4. Schwenckf. ther. 61. Aldrov. folid. 295 Jonft. quad. 16. t. 6. Sibbald. 

 'Scot. 6. Raj. quad. 63. Sloan, jam. ii. 327. Klein, quad. 6. — Afne. Tavern, trav. i. 344, Char- 

 din, trav. iii. 33. Sm. BinT. iii. 398. pi. xiL— Efel. Ofb. oftind. 35. — Afs. Penn. hift. of quad, 

 n. 3. Brit. zool. i. 2. 



The domeftic Afs is cultivated almoft in every quarter of the world, being a ftrong, hardy, patient, 

 and fure footed animal, but obftinate, ftubborn, ftupid, and frequently vicious ; it grows to a confi- 

 derable fize, and is tolerably handfome in the warmer regions, but degenerates much in the colder 

 countries, in which their ears flouch confiderably more than thofe which are bred in Africa and die 

 eaft. BufFon fiippofcs the Afs to have come originally from Arabia to Egypt, and thence, through 

 Greece, to Italy, Franee, Britain, Germany, and other countries. The voice of the Afs is named 

 braying ; he eats greedily of thirties, and other fpinous, and difagreeable herbs, which Horfes will 

 not touch, except when prefled with hunger. The Afs comes to its full fize in about five, and lives 

 for about thirty years ; both fexes are very ardent, and the female, after twelve months, according 

 to Buffon, though Linnaeus fays two hundred and ninety days, produces almoft always one young 

 at a birth. The principal employment of AfTes in Britain is for carrying the luggage of beggars, 

 [ipfeys, and tinkers, and the milk is much commended for pectoral complaints •, in Spain and the 

 Levant they are cultivated with great care, efpecially for the males, which, with mares, produce 

 nudes of a fine breed. 



