REVIEW — HORSES ; THEIR VARIETIES, &C. 587 
Richardson holds Egypt, and not Arabia, to be the “ original 
habitat ” of the horse. 
“ Much has been written as to the original habitat — the first 
great breeding country of the horse. Arabia and Egypt are the 
rival claimants ; popular opinion has long been in favour of the 
former, but these pages not being suited to a lengthened discussion 
of the question, we may just state, that, beyond any doubt, the 
latter (Egypt) is entitled to the honour. One fact, out of many, 
may be adduced on either side. In the sacred writings, when de- 
scribing the very earliest stages of the world, we find the horse in 
extensive use in Egypt; while, in comparatively modern times, 
when Mahomet attacked the Koreish, we find not a single horse in 
the entire camp — shewing how scarce, even at so late a period, were 
horses in Arabia, and how plenty (plentiful) at so early a one, they 
were in Egypt. There is, of course, no question but that Arabia 
subsequently became a great horse depot, and that in that country 
this animal attained to a very high degree of perfection ; for, in 
point of fact, it is to the introduction of Arabian blood that the 
blood-horses of the British Islands owe their present eminent po- 
sition; maintaining, as they do, an undisputed superiority over all 
others.” 
The following account of the Arab will be read with the same 
interest as all historical and domestic particulars ever will be 
touching the most perfect and beautiful animal of the horse species 
the natural world produces. 
“ In Arabia the horse runs wild, and is, even in that feral and 
uncultivated state, a creature of the most exquisite beauty of form, 
and endowed with the greatest mildness and generosity of disposi- 
tion. In size these animals are small, usually averaging between 
thirteen and fourteen hands high. Their colour is usually a dap- 
pled grey, but sometimes a dark brown, with short and black mane 
and tail. They are caught in snares carefully concealed in the 
sand, by which the feet are entangled, and the terrified horse, fall- 
ing to the ground, is easily captured. This is the only mode by 
which they can be taken, their amazing swiftness rendering all 
idea of chasing them with dogs, or on horseback, utterly out of 
the question. The wild Arabs are now nearly extinct, the high 
price given for Arabian horses having induced the natives to draw 
largely and constantly upon the resources of the desert. To the 
wandering Arab the horse is of the greatest value. The poorest 
Bedouin has his steed, which shares with him and his wife and 
children the shelter of his humble tent, his caresses, and his scanty 
fare. Oft may the traveller in the desert, on entering within the 
