NOTICES OF NEW BOOKS. 313 



It is perhaps not surprising that the earliest book treating of 

 Mules was written by a Spaniard,* seeing that Spain has long 

 been famous for these animals, and the Spanish Asses are cele- 

 brated for their size, height, and elegant build. A writer on 

 Asses and Mules, whose essay has escaped notice by both Capt. 

 Huth and the authors of the volume before us, comments on the 

 height of Spanish Asses (sometimes fifteen hands and upwards), 

 and states that at the date of his remarks (1801) the best of their 

 kind would sell even in Spain at very high prices, fetching some- 

 times a hundred guineas and more.f 



The work of J. E. Ridinger on Horses, Asses, and Mules 

 (folio, 1754) might have been consulted with advantage, if only 

 to direct attention to the excellent illustrations which show the 

 points which were held in estimation at that date as compared 

 with those now in fashion. Then there is the treatise by John 

 Mills, F.R.S. (8vo, 177 6), on ' The Breeding, Rearing, and Fitting 

 for Use Horses, Asses, and Mules, with Directions for the Treat- 

 ment of their Disorders.' Passing over some half-dozen works 

 in German and Italian which followed that of Mills, we come to 

 a volume of similar title and scope by R. L. Allen, which was 

 printed in New York in 1848, and reprinted in 1852. Somewhat 

 nearer to our own time, we find the veterinary work of M. Roche, 

 which deals exclusively with the Ass, and expounds the French 

 method of treatment. { We refer to these works merely for the 

 purpose of showing that the recently published volume of Messrs. 

 Tegetmeier and Sutherland is by no means exhaustive, and in 

 several particulars might be materially amplified and improved. 



It is a curious fact which seems to be well vouched for, that 

 the duration of life in the Mule considerably exceeds that of either 

 the Horse or the Ass. Capt. Langhorne Wister, of Philadelphia, 

 a well-known breeder of Mules, writes : — " I think I can say that 

 Mules live on an average five years longer, and are able to do 

 heavy work at least seven or eight years longer, than Horses ; 

 they thrive on coarser food, and are more free from disease." He 



* Manual Diaz, 'Libro de albeyteria, es a saber de los Cavallos y de las 

 Mulas,' folio, Saragossa. 141)5. This work has been frequently reprinted ; 

 no less than seven editions are mentioned by Huth. 



f Anderson, ' Recreations in Agriculture and Natural History,' 1801 

 vol. iV. pp. 321—334), 



J'L'Ane. Medecine Veterinaire,' par A. E. Roche. 12mo. Paris. 1882. 



ZOOLOGIST, THIRD SERIES, VOL. XIX. AUG. 1895. 2 B 



