MAMMALIA SOLIPEDA. 517 



there is here only a single metatarsal bone. The 

 three phalanges, of which that single finger con- 

 sists, bear the names of the pastern, the coronet, 

 and the coffin bone ; and the hoof, of course, is 

 single likewise ; there is also a small bone, con- 

 nected with the last, and called the shuttle bone. 

 To the cannon bone are joined, behind, and on 

 the side, two much shorter and very slender 

 bones, which are rudiments of the other metacar- 

 pal bones. They have been termed the styloid, 

 or splint bones ; and are generally united by ossi- 

 fication with the cannon bone. The scapula of 

 the horse is very narrow, and placed very nearly 

 in a straight line with the humerus ; which latter 

 bone is very short, and scarcely descends below 

 the line of the chest. The thigh-bone is also un- 

 usually short. The muscles, which extend the 

 joint, and throw the thigh back wards in kicking, 

 are particularly powerful. This is the natural 

 defensive action of the horse : and its force is in- 

 creased by a particular process with which the 

 bone is furnished, and which has the form of a 

 strong curved spine, situated on the outside, and 

 opposite to the lesser trochanter,* giving to the 

 muscles the advantage of a long lever. The cer- 

 vical vertebrae have only short spinous processes 

 that they might not interfere with the motions of 



* This process has been termed the processus recurvatus fe- 

 moris. 



