1902-3.] The Wild Horse (Equus prjevalskii). 
461 
1891, Flower says: “Much interest, not yet thoroughly satisfied, 
has been excited among zoologists” by Poliakoff’s announcement; 
but he added : “ Until more specimens are obtained, it is difficult to 
form a definite opinion as to the validity of the species, or to resist 
the suspicion that it may not be an accidental hybrid between the 
Kiang and the horse.” 1 
Since Flower expressed this opinion, quite a number of 
specimens illustrating the form and structure of Prjevalsky’s horse 
at various ages have been added to the St Petersburg Zoological 
Museum; and in 1902, Mr Hagenbeck of Hamburg (commissioned 
by his Grace the Duke of Bedford) imported from Mongolia 
between twenty and thirty living Prjevalsky ‘ colts.’ Though 
about half of these colts found their way to England, and though 
Dr W. Salensky, Director of the Zoological Museum of St Peters- 
burg, published last year an elaborate monograph 2 on Prjevalsky’s 
horse, English zoologists are not yet satisfied that we have in this 
member of the horse family a true and valid species. 
As far as I can gather, it is generally believed in England that 
Prjevalsky’s horse is a hybrid — a cross between a pony and a Kiang. 
Beddard, however, admits it may be a distinct type. He says : 
“ This animal has been believed to be a mule between the wild ass 
and a feral horse ; but if a distinct form — and probability seems to 
urge that view — it is interesting as breaking down the distinctions 
between horses and asses.” 3 
It must be admitted that in its mane and tail Prjevalsky’s horse 
is strongly suggestive of a hybrid, but in the short mane and mule- 
like tail we may very well have a persistence of ancestral characters 
— in the wild asses and zebras the mane is always short, and they 
never have long persistent hairs at the proximal end of the tail. 
Though a superficial examination may lead one to think with 
Flower that Prjevalsky’s horse is an accidental hybrid, a careful 
study of the soft parts and skeleton inevitably leads to quite a 
different conclusion. 
Though failing to understand why so many zoologists persisted 
1 Flower, The Horse, pp. 78, 79. 
2 Wissenschaftliche Resultate der von N. M. Przewalski nach Central Asien. 
Zool. Theil : Band i., Mammalia ; Abtli. 2, Ungulata. St Petersburg, 1902. 
3 Beddard, Mammalia, p. 240. Macmillan, 1902. 
