DZIGGETAI, a species of wild ass, more horse-like than the others. It is probably the hemionus ("half-ass") of Herodotus and Pliny. It inhabits the elevated steppes of Tartary, extending into the S. of Siberia and to the borders of India. The dziggetai lives in small herds. The Mongols and Tungus hunt it eagerly on account of its flesh. It has been partly domesticated. It is also known by the names of kiang, khur, and Boor.
B, e, the fifth letter and the second vowel in the English language. It has three principal sounds, the first long, and corresponding to the sound of i in French and Italian, as in me; the second short, as in men, set; the third like a or the French 6, as in there. There is also the modification caused by the short or long being followed by r, as in her and here, and the u or dropped sound of it, as in camel. , E occurs in words more frequently than any other letter of the English alphabet, this being in a great measure due to the fact that it repre sents in many instances the Anglo Saxon a, e, o, and u. It is pronounced with a medium opening of the mouth, the tongue being expanded to touch the upper molars, and the voice gently ex pirated. E is largely used as a final vowel to lengthen the preceding syllable, being itself silent; as man, mane; can, cane. Sometimes, however, it exercises no influence on the preceding vowel, as in gone, give. It is also used after c
and g to denote the softened sound of those letters; c followed by e being pro nounced as s, and g followed by e as j. Up to the end of the 14th century the final e was in most cases pronounced, except 'before a vowel, or letter h; thus the first line of Chaucer's "Canter bury's Tales" was pronounced as fol lows: "Wham that Aprille with his shoures swote." When the letter e is doubled the sound is the same as that of the long single e; as in deem, seem, etc. The digraph ea is, in most cases, sounded as long e, but occasionally as short e; as in lead (the metal), tread, etc. The combination ei has two sounds: the first the same as long e, as in receive, deceive, etc.; the second that of long a. or French e, as in reign, feign, etc. The digraph ie has the sound of long e, as in siege, believe, etc.
E as an initial is used for East, as in charts: E. by S.=East by South.
E as a symbol is used: 1. In numerals, for 250.
2. In chemistry, for the element erbium.
3. In music.
(1) For the note hypate in Greek music.
(2) The key-note of the Church mode, called Phrygian.
(3) The note elami in the system of hexachords.
(4) The third note of the diatonic scale, corresponding to •nyi, of the Italians.