34 STRUCTURES OF THE BODY. 



be only a fraction of a second. To do this, it is requisite 

 to obtain, for each man, his " personal equation." We 

 can, therefore, conclude that speed and strength are 

 as dependent on the nature and quality of the nervous 

 system as they are on conformation and muscular develop- 

 ment. We all know that a horse may possess every 

 physical excellence, and yet be worthless on account of 

 having a " soft heart," or bad temper. 



Special nervous co-ordination is an important factor in 

 movement. Thus we find that some horses and men who 

 are extremely fast walkers, are poor '^sprinters." Also, 

 the trotting ability of American *' standard-bred" cham- 

 pions, like Lou Dillon and Cresceus, is evidently much 

 more dependent on nervous peculiarity, than on con- 

 formation. The strong influence of heredity in this case, 

 justifies the American idea that the '^ trotting faculty" 

 is a ''gift." At the same time, we must bear in mind 

 that the speed in question could not be obtained by 

 any special nervous adaptation, unless the conformation 

 was suitable to its application. I am strongly of opinion 

 that " cleverness" in jumping greatly depends on special 

 nervous co-ordination. 



