UNDER THE MICROSCOPE. 47 



There is now before Hie a dried specimen of a 

 pastern, from which the hoof has been removed, 

 the sensitive laminae having been allowed to remain 

 in their places. 



They have, of course, become shrivelled out of 

 all shape, have lost their bright scarlet colour, and 

 round the edge of the coffin bone they are quite 

 undistinguishable, the bone looking as if it were 

 enveloped in a rough brown skin. But at the upper 

 part of the bone, especially just below the coronary 

 ring, the separate laminse can easily be detected, so 

 that when the hoof is shown beside them the con- 

 nection is perfectly intelligible. 



I have already mentioned that there are about 

 six hundred horny laminse in each hoof. If we make 

 a careful section of the laminae, we find that, slight 

 and delicate as they are, their structure is far from 

 being simple. Hard at their bases, which form the 

 wall of the hoof, they become more and more fragile 

 towards their edges, so that the portions which inter- 

 lace with the sensitive laminse might be rubbed to 

 pieces between the finger and thumb. 



In order to be seen in their full perfection, a very 

 thin section of them should be made, and then be 

 viewed by polarised light. A very moderate power, 

 say a half-inch object-glass, is required. They will 

 then be seen to have their surfaces covered with 



