172 



male is of her. She will rush either through fire or 

 water, to protect or rejoin it. An ass is often no 

 less attached to his owner. He scents him at a con. 

 siderable distance, he distinguishes him from others, in 

 a crowd. He knows the way wherein he has passed 

 and the places where he inhabits. 



When over-loaded he shews it by hanging down 

 Ills head, and lowering Iris ears. If his eyes are co- 

 vered, he will not stir a step ; and if he is laid 

 down in such a manner that one eye is cohered with 

 the grass, while the other is hidden with a stone, or 

 \vhatever is next at hand, he will continue fixed in the 

 same situation, and will not so much as attempt to 

 rise, to free himself from those slight impediments. 

 He walks, trots, and gallops like a horse, but is soon 

 tired, and then no beating will mend his pace. It is 

 in vain that his unmerciful rider exerts his whip or 

 his cudgel : the poor little animal bears it all with 

 patience, and does not offer even to move. 



The Spaniards, of all people in Europe, seem to be 

 acquainted with the value of the ass. They take allpre. 

 cautions to improve the breed, and a jack-ass in Spain 

 is above fifteen hands high. This animal, however, 

 seems originally a native of Arabia. A warm cli- 

 mate is known to produce the largest and the best, 

 their size and spirit decline, in proportion as they ad. 

 vancc into colder regions. 



In .Guinea, they are larger and more beautiful, 

 than even the horses of the same country. 



In Persia, they have two kinds ; one of which 

 is used for burthens, being slow and heavy, the other 

 is kept for the saddle, being smooth, stately, and 

 nimble. An ass will Jive above sixty years. He 

 sleeps much less than the h-orse; and never lies down 

 for that purpose, unless very much tired. The she- 

 ass goes above eleven months with young, and never 

 brings forth more than one at a time. 



The mule may be engeiKlered,either between a horse 



