178 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



and finds the cause to be beat generated by compressing tbe air into tbe wool. 

 As a remedy be suggests tbat tbe pressing be done in a vacuum cylinder or 

 cbamber, so tbat all of tbe air in tbe wool will be displaced before pressing. 



Data are given concerning tbe imports to tbe United States of fine wools 

 from Australia, and tbe different varieties of carpet wools from Asiatic Turkey. 



A contribution to the history of horses, M. Hilzheimer {Dcut. Landiv. 

 Presse, 36 (1909), Nos. 87, pp. 921, 929, 930; 89, pp. 9^8-950, figs. IJ,; abs. in 

 Jahrb. Wiss. u. Prakt. Tierzucht, 5 (1910), pp. 284, 285).— A discussion of data 

 concerning tbe prehistoric horse in Europe. Tbe author believes in a polyphy- 

 letic origin of. tbe domesticated horse, and also that tbe oriental horse of tbe 

 pile works was domesticated in Gaul and migrated by way of Spain to northern 

 Africa and Egypt. 



Polydactylism in solid-hoofed animals, H. Lindemann ( Uber Polydaktylie 

 beini Einhufcr.. Inaiig. Diss., Univ. Leipsic, 1909, pp. 50, pis. 2; rev. in Jahrh. 

 Wiss. u. Prakt. TierzucM, 5 (1910), pp. 190, 191). — A discussion of polydactylism 

 in the prehistoric ancestors of single-toe hoofed mammals and a study of cases 

 reported where extra digits have occurred in recent times, especially in horses. 



Of the cases which have been sufficiently described it was fovmd tbat 36.9G 

 per cent were atavistic, that is, when the structure and position of the extra 

 digits were such tbat they could be correlated as reduced digits of a polydactyl 

 ancestor all otber cases were considered to be of teratological origin. Of the 

 cases reported 48.65 per cent occurred on the right fore limb and 28.05 per 

 cent on the left fore limb ; 60.21 per cent occurred on 1 leg only, 23.66 per cent 

 on 2 legs, and 16.13 per cent on 4 legs. 



A bibliograpby is appended. 



Studies on the diluvial and prehistoric horse of Poland, A. Bererowski 

 (Studien ilher Diluviale und Prahistorische Pferde in Polen. Krakoiv, 1909; 

 rev. in JaJirb. Wiss. u. Prakt. TierzucM, 5 (1910), p. 284). — Bones of horses 

 found in the diluvial deposits and caves of Poland were found to be similar to 

 oriental types, tbe French horse of the Solutre period, and tbe horse of the 

 Swiss lake dwellers, as well as to tbe modern horse of Polish peasants. 



The restoration of an ancient British race of horses, J. C. Ewart (Proc. 

 Roy. Soc. Edint)., 30 (1909-10), No. 4, pp. 291-311, figs. 27).— A study of equine 

 bones found in the Roman fort at Newstead, England, led to the conclusion 

 that this horse was nearly a pure descendant of the slender-limbed race which 

 in Pliocene times inhabited Italy and France, and in Pleistocene times ranged 

 from north Africa to England. The name originally suggested for this species 

 by the autbor was Eqitus graciUs (E. S. R., 21, p. 672), but as this name was 

 not found to be available, E. agilis has been adopted. There are apparently 2 

 types of this species, tbe northern or celticus, and the southern or libycus. 



Crosses were made of ponies representing Exmoor, Connemara, Barra, Shet- 

 land, Faroe, Iceland, Norse, Russian, Battak, Java, and Arab breeds. Of some 

 40 crosses eventually produced some were found to be of the robust " forest " 

 type (E. robustus), some were a blend of the "forest" and "plateau" types 

 (E. agilis), and in others there was a suggestion of the Steppes type (E. prze- 

 walskM). 



" The results strongly suggest that the ponies of northwestern Europe are 

 mainly a blend of a coarse-limbed, broad-browed, short-faced race of the 

 ' Elephant Bed ' or Solutre type, and a fine-limbed race characterized by a 

 fine muzzle and short-pillared molars, a race (like asses and zebras) without 

 hind chestnuts and (unlike asses and zebras and the wild horse of Mongolia) 

 without fetlock callosities or ergots. ... It thus appears that by mixing the 

 blood of Connemara, Sbetland, and Arab ponies, animals are soon obtained 

 which in the teeth and limbs are practically identical with the 12.2 hands New- 



