178 NATURAL HISTORY IN ANECDOTE. 



the horse, in return, scratched the greyhound's back with his 

 teeth. On one occasion, when the groom had the pair out 

 for exercise, a large dog attacked the greyhound, bore him 

 to the ground, and seemed likely to worry him, when the 

 horse threw back his ears, rushed forward, seized the strange 

 dog by the back and flung him to a distance which the 

 animal did not deem it prudent to make less." 



The horse's sympathy with his own kind must, however, 

 not pass without mention. Horses have been known to 

 masticate food for their toothless companions, an instance 

 being recorded by M. de Boussanelle, a cavalry officer, of a 

 horse belonging to his company who was fed for two months 

 hi this way by the horses stationed on either side of him. 

 Whether the horses in the following case were actuated by 

 sj'mpathy or fear, the story deserves to be retold for its 

 extreme pathos. When Sir John Moore's soldiers embarked 

 after the battle of Corunna, orders were given that the troop 

 horses should be shot, rather than that they should fall into 

 the hands of the enemy. "These horses," says Colonel Smith, 

 "witnessing their companions fall one after another, stood 

 trembling with fear, and by then: piteous looks seemed to 

 implore mercy from the men who had been their riders, until 

 the duty imposed upon the dragoons who had been intrusted 

 with the execution of the order became unbearable, and the 

 men turned away from the task with scalding tears: hence 

 the French obtained a considerable number unhurt, and 

 among them several belonging to officers who, rather than 

 destroy them, had left their faithful chargers with billets 

 attached recommending them to the kindness of the enemy." 



The Asa. The ass is an animal which seems to be more 

 than ordinarily affected by its surroundings and treatment. 

 In eastern countries where it is well cared for, and employed 

 in the service of the rich, it rises to the occasion and becomes 

 both graceful and spirited in action and elegant and refined 

 in appearance : in the west where it is discarded for the sake 



