II] OF MULES AND HINNIES 213 



as we do horses, and require the same guarantee 

 in buying, and adopt the same formaHties in taking 

 them over as have been described in the case of 



4 horses. We feed asses principally on hay and bar- 

 ley, and increase their allowance before they are 

 put to the female, so that by food we may flush 

 them with strength for their work. They are 

 brought to it at the same time as are horses, and 

 similarly a groom is there to help the stallion when 

 he performs the operation. When a mare has 

 brought forth a he- or she-mule we bring it up and 



5 feed it. If mules are born in a marshy and damp 

 district they have soft hoofs; but if they are driven 

 to the mountains in summer time — as is done in the 

 Reatine country — their hoofs become very hard. 

 In buying a herd of mules you must observe their 

 age and shape, the former that they may be able to 

 stand hard work when engaged in carrying loads; 

 the latter, that one may take pleasure in looking at 

 them. For when a pair of these is yoked together 

 they can draw on the road any kind of vehicle. 



6 You might have taken my word for these facts, said 

 he to me, as I come from Reate; but you keep 

 herds of mares at your place and have yourself sold 

 herds of mules. What is called a htnnus (hinny) 

 comes from a horse and a she-ass ; they are smaller 

 in size than mules, and generally of a colour with 

 more red* in it, have ears like those of a horse, and 



^ Rubicundior. Isidore of Seville (xii, i, end) calls. a hinny 

 hurdo {burro'i) — multis ex equa ct asino: burdo ex equo etasina, 

 Vegetius (vi, 2, 2) speaks of hurici. In Italian buricco is a 



