This is, we from known life of believe, the only photograph this very dorsal stripe but faintly marked, and is rare animal. There be never another, for will probably the quagga is generally supposed to be extinct. without a cross- stripe over the shoulders.

whilst on the other hand it has numerous markings both on the front and hind legs. Naturalists are, however, agreed that, although there may be certain small differences in the colour and markings of the wild asses found in different localities of Northern Africa, such variations are of no specific value, and only one species is recognised.

The AFRICAN WILD Ass is a fine animal, standing between 13 and 14 hands at the shoulder. It lives in small herds or families of four or five individuals, and is not found in mountainous districts, but frequents low stony hills and arid desert-wastes. It is as a general rule an alert animal and difficult to approach, and so fleet and enduring that, excepting in the case of foals and mares heavy in young, it cannot be overtaken even by a well-mounted horseman. Notwithstanding the scanty nature of the herbage in the districts they frequent, these desert-bred asses are always in good condition. They travel long distances to water at night, but appear to require to drink regularly. Their flesh is eaten by the natives of the Soudan. The bray of the African wild ass is said to be indistinguishable from that of the domesticated animal, which latter is undoubtedly descended from the wild African breed.

In Asia three varieties of the wild ass are found, which were formerly believed to represent three distinct species; but since the points of difference between these varying forms do not appear to be of specific -value, all the local races of the Asiatic wild ass are now considered to belong to one species.

These wild asses have a wide range, and are met with in the deserts of Asia from Syria to Persia and Western India, and northwards throughout the more arid portions of Central Asia. In Tibet and Mongolia the wild ass inhabits the high mountain-plateaux, and lives at elevations of 14,000 feet and upwards above the sea. This local race, known as the KIANG, is darkapproaches in size to the African wild ass, standing 13 hands at the shoulder. It reddish brown in colour, with a very narrow dorsal stripe. The ONAGER of Western India and Baluchistan is a smaller and lighter-coloured animal, with a broader stripe down the back. In parts of its range it is found at sea-level. In Persia and Syria a third local race of wild ass is found, which, however, differs from the two forms already enumerated in no essential particular. Like their African congeners, the wild asses of Asia are inhabitants of the waste places of the earth, frequenting desert plains and wind-swept steppes. They are said to be so fleet and enduring that, except in the case of a mare heavy with foal, they cannot be overtaken by a single horseman. The wild asses of the desert plains of India and Persia are said to be very wary and difficult to approach, but the kiang of Tibet is always spoken of as a much more confiding animal, its curiosity being so great that it will frequently approach to within a short distance of any unfamiliar object, such as a sportsman engaged in stalking other game. Asiatic wild asses usually live in small families of four or five, but sometimes congre- Photo j.w. iy MeLeUa^ in herds. food Theirgate ASS. BALUCHI WILD ASS.

Photo by J. W. McLellan. [Highbury.]

This is one of the three leading varieties of the Asiatic wild ass. It is found in Western India and Baluchistan.

Their food consists of various grasses in the low-lying portions of their

The Horse Tribe

Photo by the Duchess of Bedford] [ Woburn Abbey.

MALE KIANG.

The kiang comes from the Tibetan highlands. It is the largest and most horse-like of the wild asses of Asia.

range, but of woody plants on the high mountain-plateaux, where little else is to be obtained. Of wild asses in general the late Sir Samuel Baker once said: " Those who have seen donkeys it is theonly in their civilised state can have no conception of the wild or original animal; perfection of activity and courage."

DOMESTICATED HORSE, ASSES, AND MULES.

BY \V. P. PYCRAFT, A.L.S., F.Z.S.

THE DOMESTICATED HORSE.

LIKE the wild camels, genuine wild horses are very generally believed to be extinct. The vast herds which occur to-day in a wild state in Europe, America, and Australia are to be regarded, say those who believe in the extinction theory, as descended from domesticated animals which have run wild. So far as the American and" Australian horses are concerned, this is no doubt true; but of the European stocks it is by no means so certain. For Dr. Nehring and he speaks with authority assures us that the wild horses known as TARPANS, which occur on the steppes north of the Sea of Azoff, between the river Dnieper and the Caspian, are veritable wild horses, the last remaining members of enormous herds which occurred in Europe before the dawn of civilisation. These horses formed no small part of the food of the savage races of men then inhabiting this continent. This we know because of the quantities of their remains found in the caves of the south of France, for instance, associated with the remains of the men who hunted them. Further evidence of this we have in the shape of crude engravings on pieces of bone and deer horns, carved by the more artistic spirits amongst these early hunters. From these drawings we gather that the horse they hunted was small in size and heavy in build, with a large head and rough, shaggy mane and

of the World The Living Animals

tail a horse, in fact, almost identical with the above-mentioned tarpan. But long before historic records begin these horses must have been domesticated; man discovered that they could be even more useful alive than dead, and from that time forth the horse became his inseparable companion. "Caesar found the Ancient Britons and Germans using war-chariots drawn by horses." But the stock of domestic horses drawn from this tarpan breed appears to have died out almost entirely, the majority of horses now existing being probably descendants of the native wild horses of Asia, the product of a still earlier domestication. In Egypt the horse, as a domestic animal, seems to have been preceded by the ass; but about 1900 B.C. it begins to appear in the role of a war-horse, to draw chariots. Its use, indeed, until the Middle Ages was almost universally as a war-horse.

From the time of its domestication till to-day the history of the horse has been one of progress. The care and forethought of the breeder have produced many varieties, resulting in such extremes as the London Dray-horse, the Eacer, and the Shetland Pony.

The coloration of our various breeds of horses is generally without any definite marking, piebald and dappled being the nearest approach to a pattern. Occasionally, however, horses are found with a dark stripe along the back, and sometimes with dark stripes on tne shoulders and legs. Darwin, discovering a number of horses so marked belonging to different breeds, came to the conclusion that probably all existing races of horses were descended from a " single dun- coloured, more or less striped primitive stock, to Photo by T. Fall} IJJaker Street. which [stock] our YEARLING AEAB COLTS. horses occasionally Note the colts examining the photographer's bag. They are very inquisitive creatures, but easily frightened. revert." " If we were not

' so habituated to the sight of the horse," says the late Sir William Flower, " as hardly ever so strangely to consider its structure, we should greatly marvel at being told of a mammal constructed that it had but a single toe on each extremity, on the end of the nail of series." which it walked or galloped. Such a conformation is without parallel in the vertebrate foot hasBy the aid of fossils we can trace out all the stages through which this wonderful : we can see how it has become morepassed in arriving at its present state of perfection and more beautifully adapted to fulfil the requirement demanded a firm support to enable its owner to cover hard ground at great speed. The study of the structure of this foot, and a comparison with the intermediate forms, make it clear that this toe corresponds to the third or hind limbs finger or toe of the human hand or foot according as we compare the fore and that its development was at the expense of the remaining toes, which gradually dwindled and disappeared, leaving in the living one-toed horse only traces of the second and fourth toes in the shape of a pair of splint-bones, one on either side of the excessively developed third toe. fact that the The horses, it must be remarked, may be distinguished from the asses by the tail in the former is clothed with long hair throughout; in the latter long hair springs only from the sides and end, forming a tuft. Furthermore, the horses have a remarkable horny

Photo by T. Fait} [Baker Street.

ARAB MAKE.

Xothing \rould induce this horse to stand still in order to be photographed; so as a last resource Lady Anne Blunt put on her Arab costume. This acted like magic, for under its spell the animal at once became quiet.

199

of the World2OO The Living Animals

Photo ly T. Fall] [Baker Street.

ARAB MAKES AND FOALS.

A pretty group of some of Lady Anne Blunt's famous Aral

excrescence, resembling a huge black and flattened wart, on each hind leg just below the " Its function hock," or heel-joint. This excrescence is commonly known as the " chestnut." side of the fore limb justis unknown. A similar pair of " chestnuts " occurs on the inner of the fore limb occurabove the wrist, or " knee," as it is generally called. The " chestnuts " also in the asses, but not those of the hind limb.

THE ARAB HORSE.

This magnificent and justly celebrated animal is chosen first for consideration because it is probably a direct descendant of an original wild breed the Asiatic wild horse. How far back the domestication of this breed began will probably never be exactly known. Till the third century after Christ the Arabs were almost certainly camel-riders; but by the sixth century of our era we find them in possession of a breed of horses which they regarded with great reverence, and spoke of as an heritage from their forefathers. They were probably introduced from the Caucasus or Asia Minor. The Arab horse found its way into Europe, perhaps accompanied by an allied breed the Barb with the Arab invasion of Spain in the eighth and ninth centuries, leaving traces of its sojourn in the Andalusian and the French Limousin. But till armour ceased to be used, the excessivethe great value of Arab blood was not appreciated weight of this demanding a horse of heavy build.

Page 47 of 89