Przewalski's Horse

Ewart describes the three ponies that he will send off to Woburn shortly. He states that the main questions relating to the origin of the domestic breeds of the horse will be settled if one of these mares has a foal to one of Russell's Przewalski's stallions. He states that unfortunately his Przewalski's mare is not in foal.

The latter part of the letter, including author's signature, is not present.

Oliphant confirms the safe arrival of the ponies and that a Przewalski's stallion will be put with them shortly.

Oliphant writes that they have unfortunately lost one of their Burchell's zebras at Woburn Abbey since Ewart visited them. He asks Ewart to name a price for his Przewalski's mare as the Duke of Bedford may be persuaded to purchase her.

Oliphant writes that the Duke of Bedford will purchase the three pony mares from Ewart but not the Przewalski's mare.

Oliphant writes that the little donkey came from Ceylon and he will provide further information about him shortly. The Grevy's zebra has not foaled yet and Oliphant will try to tame the Przewalski's hybrid when the weather turns cold.

Oliphant writes that the Przewalski's horse skeleton in the British Museum is of a white-nosed mare that Ewart had measured when she was alive. He notes that they have only two of the brown nosed variety at Woburn, although he has not noticed any differences in bone between the two varieties.

Oliphant writes that he has unfortunately cremated Ewart's Przewalski's foal, as Ewart's telegram arrived too late to instruct otherwise. He reports that another of Ewart's mares has foaled, but that the offspring is male again.

Oliphant notes that Ewart requested the Przewalski's foal to be sent to the taxidermist Rowland Ward, but he trusts they will not have another mishap as there is only one foal this year. He reports that Ewart's third Przewalski's mare foaled that morning, as well as the Mongolian pony, but the offspring are all males. He asks if Ewart would consider carrying out the experiment further.

Oliphant writes that the Duke of Bedford wishes to know what Ewart would like to to do further with the experiments at Woburn with cross-breeding a Przewalski's horse with pony mares. He wonders if the Mongolian stallion kiang and mare would be of any use to Ewart to experiment with on the land he has recently acquired.

Oliphant writes that the Duke of Bedford wishes to send Ewart three Przewalski's hybrids, a Mongolian pony mare and a Przewalski's stallion and he warns Ewart that they are not tame.