284 MANUAL OF MODERN FARRIERY. 



be liable to constant entanglement and injury by jolting 

 during the rapid and violent motions which the horse is 

 subjected to. 



The middle, or muscular coat, like that of the stomach, 

 is composed of two kinds of fibres, one of which is longi- 

 tudinal, just under the peritoneum, and stronger circular 

 fibres are situate more inwardly. In consequence of these 

 combined actions the intestine may be contracted in all 

 directions. It is by the action of the circular fibres that 

 the aliment is gradually forced through the intestines. 



The villous, or mucous coat — so named from its surface 

 being studded with small glands which give out a mucous 

 fluid to lubricate the coating, and sheaths and defends it 

 from acrimonious or mechanical irritation of the aliment, and 

 also to facilitate its passage through the intestine. It is also 

 crowded with innumerable small apertures, which are the 

 mouths of minute vessels, by which the nutritial portion of 

 the food is absorbed, and which is ultimately conveyed into 

 the circulation and distributed through every part of the 

 body. 



Having given an account of the structure and appearance 

 of the intestines generally, we shall now enter into their 

 peculiarities. 



PLATE VIII. Fig. 5. 



This gives a general view of the appearance of the belly 

 with the intestines, as they are presented without any of 

 them being removed, the skin of the abdomen only cut 

 open and thrown back so as to expose the viscera. 

 a, a, a, a. The colon, which in the horse is a gut of enormous size, 



being the longest and most capacious of the large intestines. 



Such is its capacity, that it will contain about twelve gallons 



of water. The course and figure of this intestine are peculiar. 



It begins at the head of the colon, and expands into a cavity 



