46 DOMESTIC ANIMALS. 



very serviceable to the poor who are not able to buy or to keep 

 horses. He requires very little care, bears correction with 

 firmness, sustains labor and hunger with patience, and is sel- 

 dom or never sick. 



The varieties of the ass, in countries favorable to their de- 

 velopment, are great. In Guinea the asses are large, and in 

 shape even excel the native horses. The asses of Arabia 

 (Chardin says) are perhaps the handsomest animals in the 

 world. Their coat is smooth and clean ; they carry the head 

 elevated; and have fine and well- formed legs, which they 

 throw out gracefully in walking or galloping. In Persia also 

 they are finely formed, some being even stately, and much used 

 in draught and for carrying burdens, while others are more 

 lightly proportioned, and used for the saddle by persons of 

 quality ; frequently fetching the large sum of 400 livres ; and 

 being taught a kind of ambling pace, are richly caparisoned 

 and used by the rich and luxurious nobles.* 



II. THE MULE. 



The principal objection to the ass, as a beast of burden, being 

 his small size, the ingenuity of man early devised means to 

 remedy this defect by crossing him with the horse ; thus pro- 

 ducing an intermediate animal with the size and strength of 

 the latter, and the patience, hardiness, and sure-footedness of 

 the former. 



The mule is the offspring of the ass and the mare, or the 

 female ass and the horse. In the latter case the produce is 

 called a jennet, and is much less hardy, and therefore rarely 

 bred. 



Mules are much used in warm climates, where they are pre- 

 ferred to horses for many purposes. They are very numerous 

 in our Southern States and not uncommon in the Middle and 

 "Western States. 



Kentucky is the great mule-breeding State. Many thou- 



* Blame's Encyclopedia of Kural Sports. 



