20 ON THE EXTERNAL CONFORMATION. 



The loins should be wide, and the hips 

 low. Tlie distance of the point of the but- 

 tock from the hip should be considerable. 

 The lower part of the buttocks, in a poste- 

 rior point of view, should be wider than 

 the hips {vide pi. 4, fig. 2, /, A A). The tail 

 should issue from the croupe in a regular pro- 

 gressive curve, and not appear as if it was stuck 

 into the rump. 



The hinder quarters may properly be con- 

 sidered as the main spring of the whole ma- 

 chine. This is clearly demonstrated by the 

 superior size of the muscles, and the angular 

 position of the thigh bones. 



It has generally been the custom to attri- 

 bute the source of motion principally to the 

 for3 quarters, under the idea, that if the fore 

 quarters could move well and with speed, the 

 hinder quarters must naturally follow. The fal- 

 lacy 



