THE ASS. 203 



rate, and the world would be stocked with imper- 

 fection and deformity. 



The horse and the ass, therefore, though so 

 nearly approaching in form, are of two distinct 

 kinds, different in their natures ; and were there 

 but one of each kind, both races would then be 

 extinguished. Their shapes and their habits may 

 indeed be very nearly alike ; but there is some- 

 thing in every animal, besides its conformation or 

 way of life, that determines its specific nature. 

 Thus there is much greater resemblance between 

 the horse and the ass, than between the sheep 

 and the goat ; and yet the latter produce an ani- 

 mal that is by no means barren, but which quickly 

 reproduces an offspring resembling the sheep, 

 while the mule of the former is marked with cer- 

 tain sterility. The goat and the sheep may be 

 therefore said to be of one kind, although so 

 much unlike in figure ; while the horse and the 

 ass are perfectly distinct, though so closely resem- 

 bling. It has indeed been said by Aristotle, that 

 their male is sometimes prolific ; this, however, 

 has not been confirmed by any other testimony, 

 although there has elapsed a period of near two 

 thousand years to collect the evidence. 



But what tends to put the subject out of dis- 

 pute is, that the two animals are found in a state 

 of nature entirely different. The Onager, or wild 

 ass, is seen in still greater abundance than the 

 wild horse ; and the peculiarities of its kind are 

 more distinctly marked than in those of the tame 

 one. Had it been a horse degenerated, the like- 

 ness would be stronger between them the higher 



