REMARKS ON THE USE OF MULES. 149 



portion of horses among mule teams may very possibly end 

 in disaster where army transport is concerned. 



Some years ago^ during tlie progress of one of tlie little 

 wars in Soutli Africa^ certain "imperial officers'^ were 

 sent up the country to buy mules for the service. Arrived 

 at a breeding farm, which happened to belong to an 

 educated English gentleman, certain mules were shown 

 which were running in an inclosure with two old ponies^ 

 the latter for company's sake. A bargain was struck for 

 the whole of the mules, and it was suggested by the seller 

 that the officers should take the two ponies for an old 

 song, as it might facilitate their getting the mules down 

 to headquarters. The seller was rather curtly informed 

 that their " orders were to buy mules, not ponies.'' The 

 absence of any practical knowledge of the subject on the 

 part of the headquarters staff is as self-evident as is the 

 want of discretionary power accorded to the purchasing 

 officers. It is thought that the mules are still wandering 

 about the veldt somewhere in South Africa ! 



The question as to the occasional fertility of mules is an 

 interesting one, and has already been referred to. As a 

 general rule, it may be set down that the mule, both male 

 and female, is absolutely sterile, although the generative 

 instinct is perfectly developed in both sexes. It is not 

 proposed here to enter into a physiological discussion 

 on the subject, but the reader will find the various points 

 pro and con. admirably discussed in the second part of 

 M. Andre Sanson's " Economie du Betail." The so-called 

 fertile mule "Catherine," still existing at the Jardin 

 d'Acclimatation, Paris, may or may not be the exception 

 which proves the rule, but it is necessary, in the first 

 instance, to prove that '' Catherine " is a mule. From the 

 first it was taken for granted that she was a mule, but her 



