234 REVIEW — THE HORSE IN HEALTH AND DISEASE. 
animal neighs; and the Hungarian soldiery slit them up, to pre- 
clude the possibility of being prematurely discovered to the enemy 
by the exercise of this habit.” P. 21. 
The Ass : — 
“ In Sardinia is found a race of asses very little larger than dogs ; 
they seldom exceed two feet in height, and are in all other respects 
proportionably small This animal had been introduced at an 
early period into these islands, but curiously became extinct for 
several years. Hollinshed informs us that, in the reign of Eliza- 
beth, ' our lande did yeelde no asses ;* but we must not suppose 
that this animal, so useful to the poor man, had not been previously 
known in England, for there is satisfactory historical evidence to 
the contrary. As early as the time of Ethelred mention is made 
of the ass, and again in the reign of Henry III ; yet after that we 
altogether lose sight of him, until his re-introduction on the revival 
of our intercourse with Spain.” P. 34. 
Chapter II, Breeding : — 
“ Perhaps there is no country wherein the principle of like pro- 
ducing like is, with regard to horses, at one time so closely adhered 
to and widely departed from as in England. Those who breed for 
the turf have been taught b.y long experience the value of the 
precept, and therefore carefully act upon it, using the utmost 
caution in the choice of both sire and dam, so as to combine and 
render permanent the qualities possessed by each ; while, on the 
other hand, among the general body of agriculturalists, the most 
reckless disregard is given to all that foregone experience has 
proved correct, and it is not surprising that they fail in ameliorat- 
ing their stock, seeing that they neglect the steps necessary to in- 
sure it.” Pp. 40, 41. 
“ Our heavier sorts of horses have not been without improve- 
ment from a judicious system of crossing with those of analogous 
nature from other countries. An instance exists in the benefit 
which followed an early importation of the Flemish horse. In 
breeding animals, no matter of what kind, attempts to enlarge a 
native race, by any plan of crossing, will be found destructive of 
their energy, if at the same time a proportionate increase in the 
supply of food be not provided ; and such mistaken practices, when 
generally adopted, have been attended with the most irreparable 
mischief ; for it is a mistake of the most serious nature to attempt 
an increase of bulk by crossing the indigenous race with others of 
large breed, without supplying sufficient nourishment to sustain their 
enlarged proportions. The attempts which have been made in India 
to increase the size of the native Indian horse by the introduction 
