486 



THE HORSE'S POSITION IN THE ANIMAL WORLD 



joint which is called the wrist or carjnis, the knee of the horse as it is 

 wrongly named. In this two rows of small bones are arranged, as can 

 be seen in the figure, between the arm-bone above and the shank-bones 

 below, the latter consisting of one large bone and two small splint-bones 

 attached to it. In man the corresponding arrangement conduces to a very 

 imjDortant end — a series of movements in tlie hand and arm which are 



Fig. 655. — Comparative View of Skeletons of Man and Horse 



S, Shoulder-joint; E, elbow-joint; w, wrist-joint (so-called knee in the horse); H, hii>-joint; K, knee 

 (stifle-joint in the horse); A, ankle (hock-joint in the horse). 



mechanically impossible in the horse, notwithstanding the apparent simi- 

 larity of structure. 



The hand of man constantly performs the movements of flexion and 

 extension, as they are called (these being hinge-like motions with extensive 

 lateral movement), and in addition almost perfect rotation, at least to the 

 extent of two-thirds of the circle. On the other hand, the horse's wrist 

 or knee is only capable of flexion and extension. 



Nearly the same degree and exactly the same variety of movement are 



