80 History of Nature. [BOOK VIII. 



he preferred their Flesh at that time before that of wild Asses. 

 But after him the Reputation of their Delicacy decayed. If 

 an Ass be seen to die, the whole Race will very soon follow 

 to the very last. 



CHAPTER XLIV. 

 Of Mules. 



BETWEEN the He-Ass and a Mare a Mule is produced in 

 the twelfth Month : a Creature of exceeding Strength for 

 Labour. For breeding such Mules they choose Mares that 

 are not under four Years old, nor above ten. They relate 

 that they will drive away one another in both kinds, unless 

 they sucked the Milk of the Dam, when they were young, of 

 that kind by which they would produce. And for this Pur- 

 pose they remove away either the young Ass-Foals, and set 

 them in the dark to the Teats of the Mare, or else the young 

 Colts to suck of the she- Ass. For there is a Mule also that 

 cometh of a Horse and a female Ass : but they are unruly, 

 and of unconquerable Slowness : and much more if they be 

 far in Age. If, when a she- Ass hath conceived by an Horse, 

 she admit an Ass, an Abortion follows ; but it is not so if 

 an Horse follow an Ass. It is observed, that seven Days 

 after an Ass hath foaled is the best Time for another Con- 

 ception; and, also, that the he- Asses succeed best when 

 weary with Travel. That Ass is understood to be barren 

 which hath not conceived before she hath cast her Foal's- 

 teeth ; and also she which doth not conceive at the first. In 

 old Time they used to call those Hinuli, which were begotten 

 between an Horse and an Ass : and, on the other Hand, 

 Mules, such as were between an Ass and a Mare. Also 

 it is observed, that a Creature born from Beasts of two 

 different kinds, formeth a third Sort, resembling neither of 

 the Parents ; and that such as are produced in this Manner, 

 whatever kind of Creatures they are, are themselves barren ; 

 and therefore she -Mules never breed. We find in our 

 Chronicles, that oftentimes Mules have brought forth, but 

 it was always taken for a Prodigy. Theophrastus saith, 



