CLASS I. MAMMALIA: ORDER 10. SOLIDUNGULA. 



617 



THE ABYSSINIAN MCLF. 



The Mule,* Equus Asinus — variety Mulus — is the hybrid produce of an ass with a mare, 

 having a clumsy head, long, erect ears, a short mane, and a thin tail. The Hinnv, E. Asinus 

 or Hinnus, is the hybrid of a she-ass with a stallion. Of this the head is long and thin, the ears 

 like those of a horse, the mane short, the tail well-filled with hair. It is less hardy and useful 

 and is not often bred. The mule is greatly valued in some countries for the saddle aud for draw- 

 ing vehicles. They are of various breeds and of various sizes ; those bred from Spanish mares 

 are sometimes fifteen and sixteen hands high, and sell for one hundred and fifty to two hundred 



quick as flashes of light. The Jacks wage a fearful warfare with stallions, generally coming off victorious by obtain- 

 ing a bull-dog hold of the windpipe, and never relinquishing their grasp until the noble animal falls fatally bitten or 

 strangled to death. 



" The donkey has neither the obstinacy nor malice of the mule, but is rather of a kind and gentle disposition. His 

 laziness and artful tricks are what sometimes render him vexatious. 



" But considering his patience, gentle disposition, strength, power of endurance, and regarding him as the father 

 of mules, the donkey or ass deserves to rank high among useful animals." 



* The term Mule, which properly signifies the hybrid offspring of an ass and mare, is applied to other hybrids, so 

 that we even say a mule Canary bird. Under this head, therefore, Gervais furnishes us with the following curious 

 list of hybrids that have been produced between some of the more prominent classes of quadrupeds : 



Hybrids among the Equid.e. — The ass with the mare produces the variety, mule ; the French call the male offspring 

 owlet and the female mule. They apply the term bardeau to the offspring of the horse with the female ass. 



The ass has bred with the female zebra at Knowsley, in Lord Derby's menagerie. 



The zebra has bred with the female ass at the Garden of Plants, Paris. 



The ass has bred with the onager both at Knowsley and the Garden of Plants. 



The male onager has bred with the dauw at Knowsley. 



Hybrids among the Bovid.s. — The common, bull and caw have bred with the American, bison. 



The bull has bred with the zebu and with the yah, and the yak with the zebu. 



The zebu has bred with the jungle cote ; Gray considers the offspring to be the gagal. 



Hybrids among Sheep and Goats. — The domestic sheep has bred with the mouflon of Corsica, and the ibex or bou- 

 </<< tin has bred with the domestic goat. Several other instances of mixture between domestic sheep and goats and the 

 allied wild species are known. 



Hybrids among Deer. — The pseudaxis has bred with the axis, and the cervus gymnotus has bred with the C. I ir- 

 ginianus. 



Hybrids among Dogs.— The wolf has bred with the domestic dog ; also with the dingo of New Holland ; the dog has 

 bred with the jackal. 



Hybrids among TnE Cat Family-. — The lion has bred with the tigress in a menagerie at London. 



Hybrids among the Rodentia. — The porcupine has bred with the Javan acanthibn at^the menagerie of the Zoologi- 

 cal Society of London. 



Hybrids among Monkeys. — The common macake has bred with the rJiesus macake and the crowned macake ; the 

 grivet has bred with the common macake. 



Various hybrids among different species of domestic animals, as hogs, lamas, camels, &c, are also known. 



Vol. L— 78 



