BOOK VIII.] History of Nature. 79 



patient of Cold ; which is the Cause that none are bred in 

 Pontus. Neither do they go with Young, like other Cattle, 

 in the Spring Equinox, but at the Solstice. He-Asses are 

 the worse for being spared in their Work. The Females 

 have bred early, at the Age of thirty Months ; but three 

 Years is the due Time : as often as Mares, and just so 

 many Months, and after the same Manner. But after 

 Reception they must be forced to run by beating them, or 

 else they will let go their Seed. They seldom produce two 

 at once. The Ass, when about to Foal, avoideth the Light, 

 but seeketh some dark Place, that she may not be seen by 

 Man. She breeds all her Life-time, which is to her thirty 

 Years. They love their young Foals exceedingly well: but they 

 cannot abide Water. To their little ones they will go through 

 Fire ; but if there be the least Brook between, they are so 

 afraid, that they dare not dip their Feet therein. They will 

 not drink, except of their accustomed Fountains, within their 

 Feeding-ground ; and in such a Manner that they may go 

 along a dry Path to their Drink : neither will they go over any 

 Bridges where the Planks are not so close together as that 

 they see the Water through. Strange to say, they are thirsty; 

 but if their Water be changed, they must be forced to drink, 

 or else unloaded of their Burdens. They love to lie at large, 

 and have Room enough. For in their Sleep they dream of 

 various Fancies appearing to them ; and so they fling about 

 them with their Heels in every Direction ; by which, if they 

 should beat against some hard Thing, they would soon be 

 lame. They are more profitable to their Masters than the 

 Revenues of good Farms. It is well known, that in Celti- 

 beria she-Asses, by breeding, have produced the Value of 

 400,000 Sesterces. For the foaling of Mules, they affirm that 

 the principal Thing to be regarded in the Ass is the Hair 

 of the Ears and the Eyelids. For however the whole Body 

 besides be of one Colour, yet shall the Mules foaled have 

 as many Colours as were in those Parts. Meccenas was the 

 first that introduced at Feasts a Dish of young Ass-flesh ; l and 



1 See the note on the Lalisiones in the next chapter. Wern. Club. 



