The domestic animals now found in Assyria are camels, horses, asses, mules, sheep, goats, oxen, cows, and dogs.  The camels are of three colors—­white, yellow, and dark brown or black.  They are probably all of the same species, though commonly distinguished into camels proper, and delouls or dromedaries, the latter differing from the others as the English race-horse from the cart-horse.  The Bactrian or two-humped camel, though known to the ancient Assyrians, is not now found in the country. [Plate XXX., Fig. 1.] The horses are numerous, and of the best Arab blood.  Small in stature, but of exquisite symmetry and wonderful powers of endurance, they are highly prized throughout the East, and constitute the chief wealth of the wandering tribes who occupy the greater portion of Mesopotamia.  The sheep and goats are also of good breeds, and produce wool of an excellent quality. [Plate XXX., Fig. 2.] The cows and oxen cannot be commended.  The dogs kept are chiefly greyhounds, which are used to course the hare and the gazelle.

[Illustration:  Plate 30]

It is probable that in ancient times the animals domesticated by the Assyrians were not very different from these.  The camel appears upon the monuments both as a beast of burden and also as ridden in war, but only by the enemies of the Assyrians. [Plate XXX., Fig. 3.] The horse is used both for draught and for riding, but seems never degraded to ignoble purposes.  His breed is good, though he is not so finely or delicately made as the modern Arab.  The head is small and well shaped, the nostrils large and high, the neck arched, but somewhat thick, the body compact, the loins strong, the legs moderately slender and sinewy. [Plate XXX., Fig. 4.] [Plate xxxi., Fig. 1.] The ass is not found; but the mule appears, sometimes ridden by women, sometimes used as a beast of burden, sometimes employed in drawing a cart. [Plate xxxi., Fig. 2] [Plate XXXII., Figs. 1, 2.] Cows, oxen, sheep, and goats are frequent; but they are foreign rather tham Assyrian, since they occur only among the spoil taken from conquered countries.  The dog is frequent on the later sculptures; and has been found modelled in clay, and also represented in relief on a clay tablet. [Plate XXXII., Fig. 3.] [Plate XXXIII., Fig. 1.] Their character is that of a large mastiff or hound, and there is abundant evidence that they were employed in hunting.

[Illustration:  Plate 31]

[Illustration:  Plate 32]

If the Assyrians domesticated any bird, it would seem to have been the duck.  Models of the duck are common, and seem generally to have been used for weights. [Plate XXXIII., Fig. 2.] The bird is ordinarily represented with its head turned upon its back, the attitude of the domestic duck when asleep.  The Assyrians seem to have had artificial ponds or stews, which are always represented as full of fish, but the forms are conventional, as has been already observed.  Considering the size to which the carp and barbel actually grow at the present day, the ancient representations are smaller than might have been expected.