EXPLANATION OF THE FRONTISPIECE. Vll 



humerus are so placed as to form an acute angle at the shoulder- 

 jouit, which is admirably adapted to facilitate the motion of 

 the animal ; and it will generally be found that the more oblique 

 or slanting the position of the shoulder-blade is, and conse- 

 quently the more acute this angle, the more extensive will be the 

 action of the fore l?g ; 9j which in the plate is placed thus ^to, 

 is the olecranon Or elbow ; this projection affords a great advan- 

 tage to the muscles which bring back the fore leg after it has 

 been extended or advanced 10, The radius, which forms the 

 upper part of the horse's fore leg. 11, The knee j'int, which 

 is composed of seven bones. 12, The seventh bone of the 

 knee, which projects considerably, thereby forming a favourable 

 attachment for some of the muscles of the fore arm, and by its 

 curved form serves to protect the nerves, blood-vessels, &c. in 

 their passage to the lower parts of the limb. 13, The upper 

 part of the outer small splent-bone, 13 13, The small splent- 

 bones, the usual seat of the disease termed Splents.' 14, The 

 cannon or shank-bone. 15 15, The fetlock-joints. 16, The 

 sesamoid-bones, of which there are two in each leg. The flexor 

 tendon, or back sinew, passes over these bones, which are co- 

 vered with a slippery cartilage to render the motion of the ten- 

 don easy ; and by projecting beyond the fetlock-joint, they 

 serve as a lever to the flexor-muscles, that is, the muscles which 

 bend the pastern and foot. 17> The large pastern. 18 18, 

 The front and back part of the small pastern. 19, The navi- 

 cula or nut bone. 20, The coffin-bone. 



Bones of tub ETip and hind Leg. 



a. a. a. b. b. The left side of thd bones of the pelvis or basin- 

 bone, which, indeed, consists only of one large, rather circular 

 bone, with several projecting parts, b b, The upper part or 

 spine, a a. The lower parts. The first a represents the part 

 where the bon^ is sometimes fractured ; when this happens, a 

 horse is said to have his hip knocked down, c, The outside 

 of the left hip-joint, e, A projecting part, named Ischium or 

 hitch-bone, f. The femur or thigh-bot>e. d, A considerable 

 protuberance at its upper extremity, from which a powerful 

 muscle arises, g g. The right and left patella or knee-pan. 

 h. The stifle joint. Within this joint arc slippery cartilages, 

 named from their form Semilunar ; these cartilages give great 

 , facility to the motion of the stifle joint. These joints are se- 

 cured by peculiar ligaments named Crucial, from their shape. 

 It must be obvious that the patella, from its form and situation, 

 affords great advantage to the muscles of the thigh, i i, The 



