JOURNAL 



OF TH1 



ASIATIC SOCIETY. 



JULY, 1848. 



Notice of the Kiang .—(With Plate.) 



In the month of March last a Kiang or wild ass of Tibet, arrived in 

 Calcutta in company with a Hill-poney, to which it had taken a fancy 

 and followed every where. It had been sent down by the Hon'ble J. 

 Thomason, Esq. Lieut.-Governor of the North-West Provinces, to be 

 forwarded to England, and came originally from the plains of Tibet. 

 The following description was taken whilst it was in Calcutta. 



It is a male between 2 and 3 years old, and has either been gelt or 

 his testicles have not yet descended. He is still partially covered with 

 his winter coat. His general form, except the head, which is very larget 

 is more that of a horse than an ass. Limbs slender, hind-quarters good, 

 shoulder small and straight. Head large, nose arched, forehead flat, 

 as far as can be perceived, covered as it is with long thick hair. 

 Nostrils large and more terminal than in the horse or ass. Ears of 

 medium size between the horse and ass, but more approximated at 

 their bases than in either of those animals. The eye much more bright 

 and intelligent than in the common ass. Mane erect, and the hair, of 

 which it is composed, about 4 inches long : no foretop. The coat is 

 thick, long and frizzled, something like a camel's. A thick tuft at the 

 end of the tail, which however is not confined to the tip, but extends 

 half way up towards the base. Callosities on the forelegs, none on the 

 hind ones. Height at shoulder 3 feet 10 inches, or 11 hands and a 

 half. Colour ; above, isabella, with a dash of bay or fawn. Beneath, 

 and the 4 legs, breast and nose, yellowish white. The whole of the 

 trunk has a slight tinge of a bluish or leaden hue. The mane, dorsal 

 line, and tuft of tail brown black ; the dorsal line expands at the 



No. XIX.— New Series. b 



