Kent Murphy, age 8, of Champaign, Ill., for his question:

WHAT IS A HINNY?

A hinny is a donkey like animal. It is a cross between a female donkey and a stallion or male horse. A female donkey is called a jenny or a jennet.

When a male donkey, called a jack, is mated with a mare or female horse, the animal that is born is called a mule.

Donkey is the name of several animals which are relatives of horses, but are smaller and sturdier. Donkeys have large ears.

Thousands of years ago, men tamed the African wild donkeys and raised them for their own use. The domestic donkey is most common in southern Asia, southern Europe and in northern Africa. There are a number of varieties of the domestic donkey.

The hardy donkeys do not require as much or as good food as horses do. Hut they become very stubborn and dull if badly treated.

The mule and the hinny make excellent work animals for the farmer.