A Further Note on Wild Asses. 
[No. 4, 
364 
and possessed all the marks which distinguished this species from the 
Samar or Alimar of Sudan[!]. He stood about two hands higher 
than a common Ass [the race found in England is doubtless meant # ] 
was very strong-limbed, of a rich slatish ash-colour, with the stripe 
running from the mane to the tail, and the cross-stripe on the shoulder ; 
his coat very sleek and short [the summer vesture]. His nose and 
limbs were white ; and the lower part of the neck, and between the 
shoulders, whitish ; the mane and tail blackish ; with ears broad; and 
I think, perhaps, longer than in the common Ass : square-built and 
powerful; with a keen, lively eye ; and teeth ready to seize the first 
opportunity for a snap at any by-stander. He trotted with great speed, 
and cantered easily. He had been caught when very young, and was 
considered unusually tame for one of his species ; but still he was capri¬ 
cious and unmanageable, and required a tremendous bit to hold him. 
“ These Asses form valuable beasts of burthen, from their power of 
sustaining a three-days’ march without water ; but the adults are very 
difficult to entrap and impossible to train. The natives say that they 
are not gregarious [P], but consort regularly with the Ostrich, and 
have a keen sight and still keener scent. I have since regretted tha^ 
I did not make some effort to bring this animal to England ; because, 
I feel persuaded, that it differs, as a variety, if not as a species, from 
any hitherto seen in our Zoological Gardens.” 
Of a rich slatisli ash-colour , with the humeral as well as the dorsal 
stripe well developed ! Surely the true aboriginal Donkey, as I con¬ 
tended before ; and, from a brief description which I have received 
from the present talented Secretary of the Zoological Society, P. L. 
Sclater, Esq., I should say identical in race with another African 
(Nubian ?) specimen, received some time ago in that Society’s mena¬ 
gerie : only the latter has limb-stripes, also, which is not stated of Mr. 
Tristram’s animal; though this is of no importance whatever, except 
that the African Onager’s limb-stripes would seem to be those com¬ 
monly seen in domestic Asses ; whereas the limb-markings of the 
Ghor-hhur (when it shews them), are altogether different, consisting 
of narrow and close wavy and sometimes reticulating cross-lines’ 
chiefly at the joints, and of a light fawn-colour ; those of the true 
* The late Don Carlos had an Ass in his stud-house at Aranjuez, in 1832, that 
exceeded fifteen hands in height. Vide the Hon’ble llichard iford’s Gatherings 
in Spain (1816), p. 72. 
