2-12 On the different Animals known as wild Asses. [No. 3, 



having gained ground on the Horses, stood still (for they exceeded 

 them much in speed) ; and when these came up with them, they 

 did the same thing again ; so that our horsemen could take them 

 by no other means than by dividing themselves into relays, and suc- 

 ceeding one another in the chace. The flesh of those that were 

 taken was like that of Red Deer, but more tender.' {Anab. I. 1 

 c. 5.) In fleetness," continues Dr. Layard, "they equal the Ga- 

 zelle ; and to overtake them is a feat which only one or two of the 

 most celebrated mares have been known to accomplish. The Arabs 

 sometimes catch the foals during the spring, and bring them up 

 with milk in their tents. They are of a light fawn-colour — almost 

 pink. The Arabs still eat their flesh." This will of course be the 

 animal seen by Mr. Ainsworth at the foot of Taurus, and observed 

 by him among the lower hills.* 



It cannot be doubted that this Asibtus hemipptts is the Mesopo- 

 tamian and Arabian ' wild Horse' of Col. Chesney, as distinguished 

 from his ' wild Ass' of the southern deserts of Arabia. In Meso- 

 potamia, this author remarks — " We did not obtain a single spe- 

 cimen, although the Arabs engaged to bring one : they brought a 

 skin, however, of a light brown colour, without stripes, and having 

 a mane [! dark streak ?] all along its back. This is more probably 

 the wild Horse." ! ! ! Again, treating on the animals of Arabia, he 

 remarks — " The wild Horse, the wild Dog [? Ltcaok" picttjs ?], 

 and a kind of wild Cow [Oryx beatricis (?), Gray], inhabit the 

 country adjoining the district of Joff, between Tolink Sanou and 

 Kedrush ; and to the south of these places the wild Ass [Asinus 

 vulgaris ?] is found in great numbers. The Sherarat Arabs hunt 

 them, and eat their flesh, but not before strangers." Elsewhere he 

 remarks that — " The Ass is probably the original animal of its kind 

 [i. e. species domesticated ?] in the country ; for it is first mention- 

 ed in connexion with this part of the world {Gen. xii, 16, Eocod. 

 iv. 20), and it was afterwards considered as a royal animal."f Here 



* ' Travels in Assyria, Babylonia, and Chaldea,' p. III. 



f Col. C. H. Smith remarks that the Ass is " repeatedly mentioned in the Pen- 

 tateuch before the Horse is noticed, such as, in the sacrifice of Abraham ; in his 

 visit to Egypt, where he received presents from Abimelech ; and in the spoils of 

 Shechem, where Asses are mentioned with other cattle, but the Horse is not men- 



