THE CUTICLE. 289 



skin ; the cuticle, epidermis, or scarf-skin ; and the rete- 

 mucosum. 



THE CUTICLE 



Is placed externally ; it is very thin and somewhat trans- 

 parent and tough. In the living animal this may be proved 

 by application of a blister : serum is effused from the 

 exhalents of the cutis, and the cuticle becomes elevated by 

 it in the form of small pellucid bladders. This membrane 

 is continually growing, and the scales which are brushed 

 out in grooming are scaly portions of the cuticle. 



The cuticle seems to be composed of very thin flexible 

 scales, somewhat resembling the scales of a fish, and similar 

 to them in arrangement. The cuticle is produced by the 

 true skin, and is perforated by both its exhalent and absorbent 

 pores. In almost all parts of the body the cuticle is thickly 

 clothed with hair, but that of the nose, the lips, and the 

 interior of the ear, the borders of the eyelids, and the inside of 

 the superior portion of the thighs, is naked ; and in all those 

 places is thinner in substance than on the other parts, which 

 are invested with hair. The colour of the cuticle is the same 

 in all horses, whatever be their hue. But it is a known 

 fact that the skin of the silver grey Arabian horse is of a 

 bluish black ; but whether this colour is in the cuticle or in 

 the rete-mucosum I have not yet been enabled to discover. 



The epidermis is everywhere perforated by minute holes, 

 corresponding in situation, size, and number to those of the 

 cutis. First, there are. the pores for the hairs; secondly, 

 the perspiratory, or exhalent pores ; thirdly, the absorbent, 

 or inhalent pores ; and lastly, larger-sized pores, through 

 which unctuous secretions in various parts are emitted. 

 The cuticle is destitute of both nerves and vessels, and 

 consequently devoid of sensibility. 



2p 



