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Show Why Donkeys Do Not Shy. Tho ancestors of the horso woro accustomed accus-tomed to roam over tho plains, whore overy tuft of grass or bush might conceal an cnomy waiting to spring upon them. Under theso circumstances they must ofton havo saved their lives by starting quickly back or Jumping to one sldo when thoy came without warning upon somo strango object, This is a habit which has. not left tho animal, oven after long years of domestication. On thp other hand, tho donkey Is descended de-scended from animals which lived among tho hills, whero thero wero precipices and dangerous declivities, and from those conditions con-ditions resulted his 'slowness nnd suro-footedncss. suro-footedncss. His ancestors woro not so 11a-blo 11a-blo to sudden attacks from wild beasts and 6nakc. Besides, sudden and wild starts would havo beon positively dnngcr-pus dnngcr-pus to them. Consequently, they learned to avoid the very trick which has been so useful to tho horse. The habit of eating thistles, which is peculiar alono to tho donkey, Is also descended from theso ancestors, an-cestors, In tho dry. barren localities which they Inhabited thero was ofton llt-tlo llt-tlo food, henco they learned to cat hard, dry and even prickly plants when thero was nothing elso. Chicago Chronlole. |