4J0 Description of the Wild Ass of Tibet. 



habits the plains of Tibet, in herds of moderate size, com- 

 posed of females and juniors, with seldom above one mature 

 male, and oftener none, except in the breeding season. It is 

 very common in all parts of Tibet : but the Tibetans are 

 wholly unable to take it alive, though it is in high esteem 

 amongst them for its beauty and fleetness. In size and 

 proportions it bears a close resemblance to the Tanghan or 

 Tibetan pony, but it is rather longer in the body, and does 

 not stand quite so high on the legs, the bones of which are 

 sensibly shorter. The head is thicker and weightier but not 

 longer, the size is fully as large, the forehead is more arched : 

 the ears are longer, being scarcely inferior in length to those 

 of the tame ass : the limbs finer and deer-like, with longer 

 laxer pasterns, and narrower, ovoid, hard, black hoofs : the 

 tail is asinine, that is, nude with a terminal tuft of long elastic 

 straight hair, which exceeds the true tail by above a foot and 

 a half: the forelock and mane are sufficiently ample, the 

 hair of the former being five inches, and that of the latter 

 six inches in length : the mane is partially erect, and partly 

 droops over the neck, and both forelock and mane are consi- 

 derably frizzled, or crisp and curly : the limbs have the usual 

 callosities. 



The coat of the Kiang is close and glossy, as that of a well- 

 groomed horse, in summer, but in winter it becomes longer, 

 rougher, and curled, like the coat of a camel. The colour 

 of the upper parts is in summer bright antelopine-red, but 

 in winter this bright-ruddy hue is merged in brown. At all 

 seasons, the inferior parts, including the lower part of the 

 flanks, the posterior part of the buttocks, the entire limbs, 

 the lining of the ears and the muzzle, are flavescent-white. 

 And the mane, tuft of the tail, and a dorsal line connecting 

 them, are always black-brown. So also are the tips of the 

 ears outside. The hoofs are black, and the iris of the eyes 

 bluish-grey ; and lastly, there is no trace (in the five skins 

 now in my possession) of the asinine ' cross, 5 though the 



