284 THE CONDITION OF HUNTERS 



an augmentation of its secretions, among others of the 

 perspirable fluid, and the unctuous or oleaginous 

 matter secreted by the sebaceous follicles. This gives 

 a renewed suppleness to the skin, and a kindly feel 

 and gloss to the coat. 



I am happy to have it in my power to quote the 

 following passage, as it is so completely corroborative 

 of what I have before written on this part of my 

 subject. " The appearance of the hair," says Mr 

 Percivall, " may be adduced as a sign of internal 

 derangement. The fact is, this is one of the most 

 remarkable instances we have of the sympathy existing 

 between the skin and the alimentary canal ; and we 

 might ad infinitum bestow our labour upon the former 

 without effect, unless we were at the same time to 

 direct our attention to the latter. Here a dose of 

 physic, or, what is better, some laxative medicine, is 

 required to render the currycomb and brush availing 

 in poUshing the coat of the horse." 



On the occasional stare of the coat this accom- 

 plished writer is worth hearing. " Simply taking 

 a horse," says he, " into an atmosphere colder than 

 the one he has been habitually exposed to, will make 

 the hair stare. Now this can be no other than the 

 effect of contraction, not of the skin itself, but of the 

 muscular fibres which adhere to it — the paniculus 

 carnosus. In truth, it is something simiiixi t*:^ what 

 happens in the erection of the bristles, though that is 

 a voluntary act, while this is not dependent on the will. 

 In the one case cold is the stimulus to contraction ; 

 in the other, volition." 



