342 
ASS, 
with new parties of their own age. The wild 
mules usually carry their heads drooping, and on 
a level with their bodies ; but in running they 
raise the head and erect the tail. They neigh in 
a deeper tone, and with a louder voice than the 
horse. 
ASS. 
The horse and the ass, though nearly approach- 
ing in form, are of two distinct kinds, different in 
their natures, and were there but one of each kind, 
both races would probably be extinguished. Their 
shapes and their habits may, indeed, be very nearly 
alike; but there is something in every animal, besides 
its conformation or way of life, that determines its 
specific nature. Thus there is much greater resem- 
blance between the horse and the ass, than between 
the sheep and the goat ; and yet the latter produces 
an animal that is by no means barren, but which 
quickly reproduces an offspring resembling the 
sheep ; while the mule of the former is marked 
with almost certain sterility. The goat and the 
sheep may be therefore said to be of one kind, 
although so much unlike in figure ; while the 
horse and the ass are perfectly distinct, though so 
closely resembling. 
The wild ass lias, by some writers, been con-* 
founded with the zebra, but very improperly, for 
they are of a very different species. The wild ass 
is not streaked like the zebra, nor is his shape so 
beautiful ; his figure is pretty much the same as 
that of the common ass, except that he is of a 
brighter colour, and lias a wdiite list running from 
his head to his tail. This animal is found wild 
in many islands of the Archipelago, particularly 
in that of Cerigo. There are many wild asses 
in the deserts of Lybia and Numidia, that run 
