i4 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS, 



The MULE. 



r*|p1IIIS ufeful and hardy animal is the offspring of 

 M. the Horfe and the Afs, and being generally bar- 

 ren, furnilhes an indifputable proof that the two fpe- 

 cies are perfectly diftin£t. Nature has providently 

 flopped the further propagation of thefe heterogeneous 

 productions, to preferve, uncontaminated, the form of 

 each animal ; without which regulation the races would 

 in a fhort time be mixed with each other, and every 

 creature, lofing its original perfection, would rapidly de- 

 generate. 



Mules have not unfrequently been known to bring 

 forth young, efpecially in hot countries; and inftances 

 have not been wanting, though they are rare, both in 

 England and Scotland. But it would require a fucceffion 

 of experiments to prove, that Mules will breed with each 

 other, and produce an offspring equally capable of conti- 

 nuing the race. 



The common Mule is very healthy, and will live above 

 thirty years. It is found very ferviceable in carrying 



