ANTHROPOLOGY. 
45:3 
The Masai donkeys are generally splendid beasts, 
and are simply and solely the wild Ethiopian ass 
(Equus hoemiopus) domesticated. Where they have 
been free from mixture with coast breeds, they are, 
as I saw them, literally undistinguishable in size, 
colour, and markings from the wild ass of Abyssinia 
and North-east Africa. They have none of the stripes 
on the legs which appear in the wild ass of Somali¬ 
land. The Masai must have got them from the far 
north. Their word for ass agrees with that in the 
Latuka language spoken in 5° north latitude, to the 
east of the Nile (vide Vocabulary). 
The Masai are much attached to their dogs. Gene¬ 
rally each child is followed about by one, its own 
exclusive pet. They are—those that I have seen—« 
disappointing mongrels, all colours, and of no marked 
breed. Generally the ears are erect and pointed. 
The colour may be fawn, fawn and white, black and 
tan, all black, or black, tan, and white. They are about 
the size of large terriers. They never bark. 
The marabou storks (Leptojptilus ), vultures, and 
hyenas ( H . crocuta ) which frequent the Masai encamp¬ 
ments are strangely tame, and are protected for the 
useful scavenging they perform. Strangers cause 
grave offence by killing them. The spotted hyena is 
often called by the Masai ££ Ol-uwaru onjmjine, ££ the 
limping leopard. 55 The striped hyena, which is rarer 
and shyer, and keeps more to the open, is called 
££ Otonu.” 
Whenever the warrior Masai are on a journey they 
are positively accompanied by flights of vultures and a 
few marabou storks. Wherever they stop to slaughter 
cattle, these scavengers descend and feast on the offal 
till they are so gorged that you may see a Masai push- 
