ASS

a general name for the genus Asinus of the horse tribe. It differs somewhat from the horse in having a tuft of hair at the end of its tail, in having no worts on its hind legs, and in the presence of stripes, which are absent in the domestic A. Its characbrated rhe aaa is more superstitious than actual. Although the domestication of the A. took place at a very early date, the common ‘donkey’ was not introduced into England till the time of Elizabeth. The animal is particularly adapted for transport purposes on account of its surprising hardihood, endurance, and docility when treated kindly. The usually wretched specimens seen in England are more the result of bad treatment than naturally so. Arabia, Syria, and Egypt, among other places, its careful treatment has resulted in the evolution of an animal of remarkablé value, for a Spanish he-a is worth $1000. The wild variety is much hunted in Persia, and its flesh greatly ~ prized. Because of the presence of more sugar and le cheese in its milk, invalids take it with benefit. Its skin is manufactured into shagreen leather, and also used in the making of drums. The variety called albino, 7.e. white, was used by the ancients on state occasions and reserved for the highly honored. state of Manipur, in extreme N.E. of India (22° 30’-28° 16’ N., 90°-97° 10’ E.). Northern part lies along Brahmaputra valley, southern along Surma valley; between these two rivers lies hill district; chief mts., Him a lay as in the N., A am hills in the S8.; large oe of forest ground and fertile and. A am was conquered by Burmese in late 18th cent. War between Burmese and British broke out (1823-4); resulted in ce ion of A am to British (1826); incorporated with Eastern Bengal, because of unrest in Bengal (1903); separated again (1912). 4 A am produces about two-thirds of tea grown in India; plantations covering 400,000 ac.; large deposits of coal; petroleum, iron, and limestone also worked; forests contain rubber trees, sal, and other hardwoods. Exports tea, jute, rice, timber, coal; imz~ ports woollen and cotton goods, salt, gla , earthenware, tobacco, opium, betel; traffic carried by river and railway: main local trade is with Bhutan., | riper piel nan rhinoceroses, elephants ers, monkeys, porcupines, indumera le kinds of ory pont diles, snakes. Inhabitants are dark skinned and black-haired; majority are Hindus (50 per cent.), a large number of Mohammedans (25 per cent.), and An timists, small number of Christians, and Buddhists. Principal ages are 7,000,000. See Mar CenTRAL AND 8, Asia.