DOMESTIC AND SEMI-DOMESTIC ANIMALS 27 



A large male Ass when mated with a female Horse produces a fine 

 Mule, and these latter are well known for their remarkable sure- 

 footed powers as well as their endurance. In consequence of this, 

 they are much sought after, for they are able to make protracted 

 journeyings over rocky country where it would he almost impossible 

 for a Horse to travel. Whilst on occasion Mules exhibit even more 

 obstinacy and stubbornness than the Ass, when once these curious 

 habits are overcome their value is undoubted, and it is interesting 

 to observe before passing on to the next species which claims our 

 attention, that there do not appear to be any authentic instances of 

 Mules breeding among themselves, although now and again a female 

 Mule will produce offspring with the male Horse or Ass. And it is 

 certainly worth noticing that, so far as has been ascertained, it does 

 not seem that "the hybrids between any other members of the 

 equine family are mutually fertile." 



We shall have more to say regarding Wild Asses in Chapter XV, 

 so that we may now leave our present subject and pay attention to 

 other animals whose claims for inclusion in our second section must 

 not be overlooked. Among these we may include a few kinds of 

 Sheep which are entitled to be considered, and which do not come 

 under the heading of Wild Sheep, to be dealt with later on. 



DOMESTIC SHEEP. — Foremost among the domestic kinds is the 

 striking form of the Haussa, of which we have examples among 

 our pictures (Figs. 18 and 19) of the Ram, Ewe and Lamb. This 

 beautiful animal comes from Africa, and whilst the ram is chiefly 

 noticeable for his larger and bulkier build and the handsome pair 

 of gracefully curved horns which adorn his head, the ewe, as will 

 be seen by a reference being made to Fig. 19, does not possess these 

 crown appendages. She, as a matter of fact, does not strike one as 

 very Sheep-like in general outward form, and the dark markings on 

 the head and ears stand out conspicuously from the otherwise light- 

 coloured coat. The long tail and legs possessed by this animal are 

 also worthy of note. Other breeds represented in our pictures and 

 to which attention may be directed before we consider a few interest- 

 ing points concerning various kinds of Domestic Sheep, are the 

 Hunia (Fighting Ram) (Fig. 20), One-Horned Indian Domestic 

 Sheep (Fig. 21), in which the horns are fused into one, and the 

 Dumba, or Fat-Rumped Sheep (Fig. 22). All these, as their pictures 

 clearly show, vary a good deal in general build and also in the 

 character of the horns. 



