File:The animals of the world. Brehm's life of animals; (1895) (20781177291).jpg

Title: The animals of the world. Brehm's life of animals;
Identifier: cu31924024782827 (find matches)
Year: 1895 (1890s)
Authors: Brehm, Alfred Edmund, 1829-1884; Pechuel-Loesche, Eduard, 1840-1913; Haacke, Wilhelm, 1855-1912; Schmidtlein, Richard
Subjects: Mammals
Publisher: Chicago, A. N. Marquis
Contributing Library: Cornell University Library
Digitizing Sponsor: MSN

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THE HORSES—ASSES. 417 left long and various designs, and arabesques are cut in it, giving the animal quite a peculiar aspect. In former times half-wild Asses were found on some islands of the Grecian archipelago and in Sar- dinia, and even now they are to be found in South America. Wherever individuals of the species es- cape from the restraint and training of Man, they soon revert to all the habits of their wild progeni- tors. The preceding data have already indicated the extensive range of the Ass. The eastern part of •western and central Asia, northern and eastern Africa, south and central Europe and South Amer- ica are the countries in which it thrives best. The drier the .soil the- better its health and development. Damp and cold agree less with it than with the Horse. //nporta/iceo/t/ie Riding on Donkeys is probably no- Donheij in where so much in vogue as in Egypt. Egypt. jhe willing animals are really indis- pensable as a complement of the conveniences and comforts of life in all greater cities. They are hired in the same way that our cabs are, and therefore no dignity is forfeited by employing them. Such condi- tions are brought about by the nar- rowness of Egyptian streets, that Donkeys alone are fit to render easy and practicable the necessary journeys one takes about town. Therefore they are seen every- where, as for instance in Cairo, mingling with the continuous stream of people filling the streets. The Donkey drivers of Cairo con- stitute a distinct profession, a gen- uine caste, which forms as much an integral part of the city as do the minarets and palms. They are indispensable to the natives and to foreigners; every day a person lives in Cairo he has occasion to be thankful to them, although at the same time they frequently arouse one's ire. "It is a genuine pleasure and a real misery," says Bogumil Goltz, " to deal with these Donkey boys.. One is at a loss to decide "whether they are good-natured or morose, obstinate or obliging, lazy or active, cunning or impudent; they are a mixture of all possi- ble qualities. "' Look, sir,' says one, ' see this locomotive of a Donkey, which I offer you, and compare it with those of the other boys! Why, they must fall down under you; for they are miserable creatures and you are a stout man! But my Donkey! He will run away with you like a Gazelle, in pure play.' 'This is a Donkey of Kahirin," says another. 'His grandfather was a Gazelle, and his great-grand- mother a wild. Horse. Run, you son of Kahirin, prove my words to the. gentLeman!, Be a credit to your parents: go in the,kord's name, my Gazelle, my Swallow!' The fl^rd-'dods stiU better, jyaising his DonJ^ey as. a .BiSn>;xck pr^a Von Moltke of his spe- cies*, ^iitid 'so ori, until the visitor mounts a Donkey, which is then urged into a gallop by a series of inimitable jerks, blows, pushes, a:nd pricks adminis- tered with the goad, and the boy runs after, calling. screaming, urging, chattering — abusing his own lungs as much as he does the Donkey. Thus the rider is hurried through the crowd of animals, street carts, loaded Camels, carriages and walking people, and the Donkey never loses courage for a moment, but rushes on at a very agreeable gallop, until he has reached his destination. Cairo is a veritable training school at which to accustom one to the use of Donkeys, and the only place where one learns to fully know, appreciate, esteem and love this excel- lent creature." Traits and Capabil- Oken's words apply perfectly to ities of Tame the north European Ass, however: Asses. •< The tame Donkey has degenerated to such an extent through prolonged ill-treatment that it has lost nearly all resemblance to the parent stock. Not only has it become much smaller, but it has also a duller, ashy color and longer, flabbier ears. Courage in it has turned to obstinacy, speed to slow- ness, vivacity to dullness, love of liberty to patience, sturdiness to endurance of blows." All the perceptive senses of the tame Ass are well developed. Hearing ranks highest; sight comes next and then smell; it seems to possess little ner-
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AYRICAJSS WILD ASS In the northern part of Africa is found, in its wild state, the animal shown in the picture. It is a symmetrical, active animal of a uniform reddish cream tinge except for the marked black stripes placed along the back and transversely across the shoulders. (Esuus ast- nus africanus.) vous sensibility, and the sense of taste is probably also not particularly well developed, else it certainly would be more exacting in its diet than the Horse. Scheitlin tells us that its mental capacities are not so slight as is generally believed. It has an excel- lent memory arid easily finds its way again over any road which it has once traveled; in spite of its stupid looks, it is sometimes possessed of no small cunning; neither is it always so good-natured as people think. Occasionally it even displays an abominable viciousness; It may suddenly stop on the road, oblivious of blows, and may even throw

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