MILES ON 'EXPANSION AND CONTRACTION.' 47 



Horse's Foot,' they are illustrated most admirably. 

 The subject of them was a horse nine years old, 

 which had always worn shoes since he was first put to 

 work, and had the shoe removed on purpose for the 

 investigation and experiment. The unshod foot was 

 lifted up, and its contour traced with the greatest 

 precision on a piece of board covered with paper. 

 A similar board was then laid on the ground ; the 

 same foot was then placed upon it, and the opposite 

 foot held up whilst it was again traced. The result 

 was that it had expanded one-eighth part of an inch 

 at the heels and quarters ; and from the quarters 

 towards the toe this gradually diminished, showing 

 a space of four inches in front, two inches on each 

 side of the centre of the toe, where no expansion 

 whatever had taken place ; the tracings proving, 

 at the same time, that expansion was only lateral, 

 and that none took place in the length of the foot 

 from heel to toe. He states that he had other 

 horses which had before shown a still greater expan- 

 sion than this ; but this was only whilst the horse 

 was standing still, and upon three legs. 



