ASS. 



ATMOSPHERE 



The subjugation of the ass appears, from the 

 records of the Bible, to have preceded that of 

 the horse ; and we infer from the same autho- 

 rity, that this subjugation took place prior to 

 that of the dog. 



The structural difference between the horse 

 and the ass are trifling ; perhaps that on which 

 the very different tones emitted by the voice 

 depends is one of the most striking. In all 

 other essential points the organization of the 

 horse and ass is the same ; and, with the ex- 

 ception of the lengthened ears of the ass, their 

 form, size, and proportions in a wild state, they 

 differ but little; consequently, they possess 

 conditions more favourable to the multiplica- 

 tion of species than those afforded by any 

 other nearly allied animals. The ass is, pro- 

 perly speaking, a mountain animal ; his hoofs 

 are long, and furnished with extremely sharp 

 rims, leaving a hollow in the centre, by which 

 means he is enabled to tread with more secu- 

 rity on the slippery and precipitous sides of 

 hills and precipices. The hoof of the horse, 

 on the contrary, is round and nearly flat under- 

 neath, and we accordingly find that he is most 

 serviceable in level countries; and indeed ex- 

 perience has taught us that he is altogether 

 unfitted for crossing rocky and steep moun- 

 tains. As, however, the more diminutive size 

 of the ass rendered him comparatively less 

 important as a beast of burden, the ingenuity 

 of mankind early devised a means of remedy- 

 in- tliis defect, by crossing the horse and ass, 

 and thus procuring an intermediate animal, 

 uniting the size and strength of the one with 

 the patience, intelligence, and sure-footedness 

 of the other. 



The varieties of the ass in countries favour- 

 ab.c to their developement are great. In Guinea 

 the asses are large, and in shape even excel 

 the native horses. The asses of Arabia (says 

 Chardin) are perhaps the handsomest animals 

 in the world. Their doat is smooth and clean; 

 they carry the head elevated, and have fine and 

 well formed legs, which they throw out grace- 

 fully in walking or galloping. In Persia, also, 

 they are finely formed, some being even stately, 

 and much used in draught and carrying bur- 

 dens, while others are more lightly propor- 



tioned, and used for the saddle by persons of 

 quality, frequently fetching the large sum of 

 400 livres ; and being taught a kind of easy 

 ambling pace are richly caparisoned, and used 

 only by the rich and luxurious nobles. With 

 us, on the contrary, the ass unfortunately ex- 

 hibits a stunted growth, and appears rather to 

 vegetate as a sickly exotic, than to riot in the 

 luxuriant enjoyment of life like the horse. 



The diseases of the ass, as far as they are 

 known, bear a general resemblance to those 

 of the horse. As he is more exposed, however, 

 and left to live in a state more approaching to 

 that which nature intended, he has few dis- 

 eases. Those few, however, are less attended 

 to than they ought to be ; and it is for the ve- 

 terninary practitioner to extend to this useful 

 and patient animal the benefit of his art, in 

 common with those of other animals. The ass 

 is seldom or never troubled with vermin, pro- 

 bably from the hardness of its skin. (Elaine's 

 Encyc. Rural Sports.) 



ASTRINGENT (Astringo, Lat.). In farriery, 

 a term applied to such remedies as have the 

 property of constringing or binding the parts. 



ATMOSPHERE. The name given to the 

 elastic invisible fluid, which, to a considerable 

 height, surrounds our globe. It is composed 

 chiefly of two simple or undecomposed gases, 

 viz. : 



Azote, or nitrogen 

 Oxygen 



79-16 

 20-84 



100- 



It contains, also, about r^th of its weight 

 of carbonic acid gas, or fixed air, a considera- 

 ble portion of aqueous vapour (which is always 

 the most considerable in amount in dry wea- 

 ther), and occasionally foreign substances, 

 called Aerolites. The average proportion in 

 which these exist in the atmosphere, are 



Air 



Watery vapour 

 Carbonic acid gas 



100- 



(Thomson's Chem. vol. iii. 181.) It fulfils a 

 very essential office with regard to the growth 

 of plants. (See GASES, THEIR USE TO VEGE- 



MONTHLT ATMOSPHERICAL OBSERVATIONS. 



