RELATIONS BETWEEN HEIGHT AND LENGTH OF BODY. 169 



and of equal merit are not always the same ; for a defect 

 in one point may be compensated by increased excellence 

 in another point. 



Relations between Height and Length of Body. 



—We have seen in Chapter I. that the fundamental difference 

 between animals of speed and those of strength is that the 

 former have comparatively long legs, and that the latter 

 have comparatively short ones. We have in the camel 

 a well-marked ^ exception to this rule. The Ship of the 



Fig. 273. — Camel. 



Desert, as we may see in Fig. 273, has very long legs in 

 comparison to his length of body, and yet he is extremely 

 slow for his size. The cause of his lack of speed is chiefly 

 owing to the weakness of his " rearing muscles " (p. 67), 

 and to the straightness of the column of bones of his fore 

 limbs. Hence, when he tries to go quickly, he is unable to 

 raise his fore-hand to a sufficient height, in order to obtain a 

 well-regulated period of suspension, like that of the horse 

 (Figs. 71, 154, and 189). His gallop, which he attempts 

 only on rare occasions, has so much up-and-down motion 



