450 THE MULTIPLE OKIGIN OF HORSES AND PONIES. 



variety which at a very remote period branched off from the main 

 stem and possibl}^ reached Europe and north Africa long before 

 the advent of the Neoliths, to become the progenitors not only of 

 occidental, but also of African races." 



As might have been anticipated, Celtic characters can often be 

 identified in British and other occidental breeds. Many thorough- 

 breds, which are an unequal blend of Barbs and of x\rabs in which 

 eastern races often prcA'ail, and of light and heavy occidental vari- 

 eties, show traces of Celtic ancestors. Many small thoroughbreds 

 " ride like a pony," or have a pony head, or pony legs, some even want 

 the ergots or hind chestnuts, or the tail has a vestige of a fringe, or 

 there is the gait and temperament, alertness, and intelligence of the 

 pony. Many of the Highland garrons liaA'^e pony characteristics, 

 and this is also true of all the old r.iountain and moorland breeds, 

 more especially of the mealy-nosed Exmoor ponies and some of the 

 better bred dun-colored Connemaras. 



Even in Clydesdales of the older type pony characters sometimes 

 surge to the surface, while in crossbred animals they sometimes pre- 

 dominate. Recently I heard of a powerful, active 17-hand horse, 

 with a wonderful reputation for speed, strength, and staying power, 

 in which the hind chestnuts, greatly to the surprise of the owner, 

 were completely absent. On making inquiries as to the pedigree of 

 this horse I ascertained he was bred in Caithness and was the grand- 

 son of a Highland pony. 



THE NORSE itoRSE {Equus caJjfdlvs tyjncus). 



During prehistoric times in certain parts of Europe a tundra fauna 

 gave place to a steppe fauna, which later Avas succeeded by a forest 

 fauna. Evidence of this succession we especially have in the rock 

 shelter at Schweizersbild, near Schaffhausen. In the lower deposits 

 the remains of the reindeer, musk ox, variable hare, Arctic fox, and 

 other tundra forms occurred. Nearer the surface were relics of ham- 

 sters, the woolly rhiuoceros, kiang, horse, and other denizens of the 

 steppes; and on still higher layers the bones of the beaver, hare, and 



"That the Celtic pony is aliin to the smaller high-caste Arahs has already 

 I'oeii hinted. The only fiuidamentul difference, apart from the coat, main, and 

 tail, hetween many small Arabs and a Celtic pony is in the ears ; in the Arab 

 they are long and often incurved at the points. The long ears of the Arab may 

 either be due to eastern blood of the Kattiawar kind or to long ears being an 

 advantage to the wild anc(>stors that frequented the great Libyan plateau, as 

 long ears are of advantage to the mountain zebra and to the kangaroo of the 

 Australian bush. About the origin of the lai'ge varieties of Arabs iirovided with 

 ergots, with hind chestnuts like those of Pr.jevalsky's horse, a somewhat long 

 head, a tendency to a Roman nose, large joints, and a circumference of 7* to 8 

 inches below the knee, I am unable to offer an opinion. 



