MULES 257 



the marc. Although fecundation of the hybrid female by the ass or 

 horse is not rare, abortion generally occurs. 



There is often no anatomical dr physiological reason why a mule 

 should not breed, but generally there is a very imperfect develop- 

 ment of the requisite parts. 



The hinuy is generally much inferior in useful qualities to the 

 true mule, its tail is more like that of a horse, its ears shorter, and 

 its shape equine. 



The voice of the mule is neither that of the horse nor of the ass, 

 but a queer, shrill, feeble, and hoarse sound ; a chorus of mules wel- 

 coming the call to " feed" is most comical. 



The following points in description of hybrids are interesting, 

 often as indicating tendency to reversion to original type : — 



(a) The hybrid ass zebra and mare when young had shoulder, 

 flank, and leg stripes, but when adult hardly any stripes. (Darwin's 

 Variation under domestication of Plants and Animals, ii. p. 68, note.) 



(b) The cross of the zebra with the ass has his legs very striped. 



(c) Lord Morton's celebrated cross of a quagga with an Arab 

 mare had the legs more striped than the quagga. ( Philosophical 

 Transactions, 1821, p. 20.) 



('/) The same mare threw two foals by a black Arab sire, which 

 colts had striped legs, and one had stripes also on the body. 



(e) The cross of a wild ass of Cutch with a male ass had all 

 four legs transversely and conspicuously striped, three short stripes 

 on each shoulder and zebra stripes on the face. 



(/) A second specimen of the same breeding was similarly marked. 



((/) Mules have generally their legs more striped than horses or 

 asses. 



The next point I will draw attention to is the sources of supply. 

 Mules come from very many parts of the world. In North and 

 South America they are bred extensively, those of Kentucky, Minne- 

 sota, and Missouri being well known. The Mexican mules, resulting 

 from the ass crossing with mustang mares, also have a good reputa- 

 tion. In Europe, France, Spain, and Italy are the main source of 

 supply, those derived from Poitou being especially fine ; North and 

 South Africa, Asia Minor, Cyprus, Syria, and Persia, also China 

 may be included in the list of places whence mule:-, may be obtained. 



