The Ass. 
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THE ASS. (Equus Asinus.) 
The Ass is a beast of burden, and extremely serviceable 
to man. Of greater strength than most animals of his 
size, he bears fatigue with patience, and hunger with 
apparent cheerfulness. A bundle of dried herbs, or a 
thistle on the road, is sufficient for his daily meal, and 
he is content with the clear and pure water of a neigh- 
bouring brook (in the choice of which he is particularly 
nice) in the absence of better fare. It is probable that 
the Ass was originally a native of Arabia, and other 
parts of the East : the deserts of Libya and Numidia, 
and many parts of the Archipelago, contain vast herds 
of wild Asses, which run with such amazing swiftness, 
that even the fleetest horses of the country can hardly 
overtake them. At present, perhaps, the best breed in 
Europe is the Spanish ; and very valuable Asses are still 
to be had in the southern continent of America, where, 
during the existence of the Spanish dominion, the breed 
