178 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY, Vol. IX. 



4. Spanish (Cataloniari). — These resemble generally the Italian. 

 They are bigger, coarser, and inclined to be leggy. They stand 13*1 

 to 13*2; frequently carrying heavy coats they do not bear the 

 climate so well. Their stock run larger than the Italian, but are not so 

 compact. All the same they are not by any means a bad class of sire. 



5. French (Poitou). — The foregoing remarks apply with equal 

 force to this donkey. He unfortunately carries if anything a heavier 

 coat than his Spanish brother, frequently curling in long coarse 

 locks all over his body. He stands 12"2 to 13*1. A rather amusing- 

 incident occurred with a French donkey some years ago in this 

 connection. A new Assistant Superintendent of Horse-breeding, 

 while attending a Horse Show in the Punjab, came across a very fine 

 donkey picketted in the lines. Finding his owner quite ready to deal 

 he purchased him for Us. 150 and was much elated at having chanced 

 on such a good specimen of the indigenous animal. Sending him 

 down to the Depot he wrote a glowing account of the beast to 

 the General Superintendent, who, of course, was also much pleased. 

 On the animal's arrival at Babugarh, the Overseer in charge looked at 

 him very hard and shook his head. " Seems to me I know that 

 donkey," he muttered. In the evening when he again saw our 

 friend, a sudden idea struck him, and, seizing a pair of scissors, he 

 proceeded to clip the long coarse hair from his shoulder. As the 

 clippers ploughed their way through the coat, behold the register 

 number branded on Government donkeys came into view, and the 

 mystery of the remarkably fine Punjabi was solved. He was a 

 young Poitou jack cast and sold the year before for impotence. The 

 great coarse coat had completely hidden all traces of the brand and, as 

 the Assistant Superintendent was a new hand, he had, of course, failed 

 to recognize the animal as an old acquaintance. 



6. Cyprian. — Some years ago we obtained several nice batches of 

 donkeys from Cyprus ; but after some time they fell off so rapidly that 

 we were obliged to discontinue their importation. They are alto- 

 gether a lighter donkey than any of the above, run smaller, are 

 frequently narrow, and wanting in bone. Though considerably cheaper 

 than other European jacks, I doubt even at the price if as good value 

 is obtained for money spent on these animals. Their height is about 12 

 hands 1 inch. 



