62 EXAMINATION OF HORSES 



large area of the anvil bottom whereon to diffuse them- 

 selves, and are of considerable length. The weight, 

 moreover, is momentary, and is not confined to the face 

 of the anvil, but diffused through most of the body of 

 the anvil. The rays are so faint when spread over this 

 large area that they scarcely alter the inertia of the anvil, 

 and are therefore barely felt by the bearer, who rises, 

 supposed to have survived a crushing blow. Had the 

 anvil been one-tenth the size the rays would have been 

 in focus, or nearly so ; there would have been one-tenth 

 the inertia to overcome \ and the earthly career of our 

 friend would have been cut short. Distance, then, is, 

 as we have endeavoured to show, an important factor in 

 radiation and in concentration. Without proper distance 

 there can neither be radiation nor concentration ; so that 

 if the coffin joint be our focus or centre of weight, and 

 we wish the weight to be diffused over the base of the 

 whole foot, it is of the very first importance that this 

 joint be u^ell above the surface of the foot. 



Again, referring you to our two arches, you will notice 

 that in addition to their cutting each other at right 

 angles, and having the same ceiitre of weighty the weight 

 is placed in the middle of the transverse arch, but further 

 forward in the arch, which is formed from before back- 

 wards, so that we may represent this diagramatically by 

 a cross {see Fig. 4). 



This cross also represents the direction of shortest rays; 

 therefore at all points between these lines there are 

 longer rays. It will further occur to you that the rays 



