CLASS I. MAMMALIA: ORDER 10. S 0 L ID U N GU L A. 
610 
THE ZEBEA AT THE GARDEN OF PLANTS, PAEIS. 
The Onager or Kottlan, Asinus sylvestris — the Equus Onager of Brisson and Pallas, and 
Asinus Onager of Gray — ^is the Khur or Oour of the Persians ; the Hamar of Mesopotamia, and 
the Wild Ass of Kutch ; it is indeed generally denominated the Wild Ass, but it is doubtful if 
it be so in fact. It was described by Xenophon and Pliny under the name of Onager. Its color 
in summer is pale reddish ; in winter grayish ; the dorsal streak, which is common to this and 
several of the allied species, is black, and rather wider over the small of the back ; the skull i& 
high up and far back. It has a general resemblance to the ass, and is found on the plains of 
Mesopotamia, Persia, Kutch, the shores of the Indus, and the Panjaub. It is said also to exist 
in large numbers on the high steppes between the Caspian and Aral Seas, and many of them are 
taken thence to Orenburg. It lives in troops, the old ones being very shy and difficult of ap- 
proach, even within reach of the rifle ; the young are frequently caught alive. In general, these 
animals are left in their wild state, being regarded by the natives of the countries they inhabit as 
untamable ; but at Bombay they are used both for the saddle and for draught, and there is no 
reason to doubt that they might be generally domesticated and rendered useful. Since 1842 
several of them, of botli sexes, have been in the Garden of Plants at Paris, and have successfully 
produced and reared young ones. Specimens have also been in the menageries of London, and 
Knowsley, the animals being erroneously called Hemiones. 
The Hemione or Kiang, U. Hemionus — the E. Polyodon of Hodgson ; the Wild Ass of Tar- 
tary — is the Hemione, that is, Derni-Ass of Xenophon ; the Jihta of Shaw ; Dgiggitai of Cuvier, 
and DzigetJiai of BufFon. In this the fur is short, smooth, and bright-red bay; the legs are straw- 
color; there is a broad, longitudinal dorsal streak, broadest over the small of the- back, without 
any cross-band on the shoulders. In winter the hair becomes long and woolly,, and of pale 
