i6o 



OUR DOMESTIC ANIMALS 



Though he cannot deny his asinine nature, 

 thanks to his obstinacy, tenacity, and occasional 

 malignity, kind treatment has succeeded more 

 than once in subduing him, and also in training 



"Orphan l;ii\, (;kami Chamimon Jack, 

 World's Fair 



him both for riding and for harness. But this 

 wild and self-willed mountaineer will always 

 show temper if teased, a thing he cannot pos- 

 sibly endure. 



The quagga is another species of striped ass, 

 which bears still more resemblance to the horse. 

 Its fundamental color is yellowish brown striped 

 with fewer bands than the zebra, and these 

 disappear on the back and on the croup. The 

 stomach and inside of the legs are chiefly white. 

 These animals formerly lived in herds, in com- 

 pany with ostriches, who were quicker than 

 they in finding food and perceiving danger. 

 At the present time the quagga may be said 

 to have disappeared, — to have succumbed in 

 the struggle for existence against the growing 

 population of South Africa and the mania of 

 the Englishman for hunting " big game." 



The Hottentots gave him the name of 

 quagga on account of his cry (quag-ga, quag-ga), 

 which differs as much from the neighing of a 

 horse as it does from the braying of an ass. 



III. The Domestic Ass 



The degenerate descendant of the proud 

 denizens of the steppes, the mountains, and the 

 deserts is the tame donkey of the north and 

 center of Europe, the drudge among domestic 



animals, at whom every one thinks he has a 

 right to jibe, granting him in return a few 

 thistles and food that all other animals would 

 disdain. One reason why he is so obstinate, 

 provoking, and phlegmatic in this part of the 

 world, and consecjuently so despised, is that he 

 suffers from our ccjld, damp climate. He is 

 more at his ease and therefore less aggravating 

 and less despised in warm, dry regions. He is 

 indispensable and is therefore valued through- 

 out the south of Europe, northern Africa, Egypt 

 especially, and Asia Minor. In all the countries 

 clustering round the Mediterranean he shows 

 his good qualities and men make much of him. 

 In China and Persia a fine race of asses is 

 raised e.xclusively for riding. They are ridden 

 by the rich magnates on saddles embossed 

 with silver ; priests have the dignity and privi- 

 lege of riding white asses. The saddle is put 

 very far back, nearer to the croup than to the 

 withers. Bokhara is so rich in df)nkeys that 

 the streets are sometimes blocked by them. 



A Trained Zebra 



They are of all colors, — white, black, brown, 

 tawny, blue-gray, etc. 



In northern Africa the tamed ass is in gen- 

 eral use as far down as the frontiers of the 

 Soudan. Eg)'pt, especially, has robust, hand- 

 some, well-made animals, with keen eyes and 



