THE ASS 217 



poet. In the Odyssey the ass is not referred to at all, 

 neither does its name occur in the works of Hesiod. 



Nevertheless, even if domesticated asses were 

 introduced into Europe from the East, it is probable 

 that the wild animal was first tamed in the Mediter- 

 ranean countries, as we have no evidence that it 

 ever existed to the eastward of the Red Sea. If 

 this view be correct, asses must have reached India 

 from the westward ; this being the opinion of 

 Darwin, 1 who unhesitatingly regards all the domes- 

 ticated breeds as the descendants of the North 

 African wild animal. 



Although Linnaeus based his Equus asinus on 

 the domesticated ass of Europe, we cannot take any 

 particular breed or strain as the actual type of the 

 species, since Sweden has none of its own. As a 

 matter of fact, the ass is essentially a southern 

 animal, partial to hot and dry countries, and exceed- 

 ingly averse to enter water. Indeed, it has been 

 stated that " the ass, and with it its name, accom- 

 panied the progress of the culture of the vine and 

 olive to the north, not crossing the limits of that 

 culture. In proportion as the ure-ox, the bison, and 

 the elk died out, the long-eared foreign beast became 

 domesticated in Gaul, receiving various names, and 

 living in the customs, jokes, proverbs, and fables 

 of the people. Germany, however, proved too cold 

 for the animal." 2 



1 Animals and Plants under Domestication, vol. i. p. 65. 



2 Heyn and Stallybrass, op. '/., p. in. 



