THE BONES. 35 



proper test for roaring or whistling, but it is not so 

 certain a criterion for a cough as the plan I have sug- 

 gested. 



It may be well, perhaps, previous to the consideration 

 of the shoulder and foreleg, to make a few observa- 

 tions on the natm-e and uses of the bones and muscles. 



are composed of a hard, dense, and inflexible material. 

 They are found either in rough, irregular, and flattened 

 masses, which are intended to serve for the origin and 

 insertion of muscles, as well as to incase and prote<jt 

 the internal ^-ital organs, such as the brain and spinal 

 maiTow, and the thoracic and abdominal viscera ; or 

 else they are roimded and elongated, as in the legs, to 

 act as convenient levers for the propulsion of the 

 machine. Their texture differs gi'eatly in the different 

 breeds of horses. In the thorough-bred, they are re- 

 markably dense ; whereas in the di'ay-horse, they are 

 open and spong}-. This is one reason why the strength 

 of the bone in the blood-horse is generally underA^alued. 

 It is never considered strong, at least by the pubHc, 

 because its cuxumference is less than it is in the 

 carter. There is a mistake made here, however, in 

 forgetting that the textiu-e of the one is much more 

 dense than that of the other, and consequently that, 

 inch for inch, the bone of the blood-horse is much 

 heavier and more substantial than the bone of the 



