J4 ASS. Class I. 



years preceding ; and again in the reign of * Henry 

 III. fo that it muft have been owing to fome acci- 

 dent, that the race was extinft during the days of 

 Elizabeth, We are not certain of the time it was 

 again introduced ; probably in the fucceeding reign, 

 when our intercourfe with Spain was renewed ; in 

 which country this animal was greatly ufed, and 

 where the fpecies is in great perfedlion. 



The afs is originally a native of Arabia^ and 

 other parts of the Eaft : a warm climate produces 

 the largeft and the beft, their fize and fpirit de- 

 clining in proportion as they advance into colder 

 regions. " With difficulty," fays Mr. Adanfon^ 

 fpeaking of the afles of Senegal^ " did I know this 

 " animal, fo different did it appear from thofe of 

 *' Ettrcpe : the hair was hne, and of a bright moufe 

 '*^ color, and the black lift that crofTes the back 

 " and llioulders had a good effedt. Thefe were the 

 " afles brought by the Moors from the interior 

 " parts of the country f." The migration of thefe 

 beafts has been very flow ; we fee how recent their 

 return is in Great Britain : in Sweden they are even 

 at prefent a fort of rarity, nor does it appear by the 

 laft hiftory of Norway J, that they had yet reached 

 that country. They are at prefent naturalized in 



* In 1217, when the Camerariiis of St. Alban'^ loil two afl** 

 es, &c. Chr. pr. 60. 

 \ Voy. Senegal, 2 1 2. 

 \ Pontoppidanh Nat. Hiftory of Nor'way, 



this 



