PREFACE. 



THE present work is an attempt to solve one of the chief 

 problems in the history of the horse, the most important 

 (the ox not excepted) of all the animals domesticated by 

 man. The nature of the inquiry rendered it necessary to treat 

 not only of all the chief breeds of domestic horses known in 

 historical times, but also to take a survey of all the other living 

 Equidae, as well as of the ancestors of the genus. The question 

 of coloration naturally holds a prominent place in the investi- 

 gation, and I have tried to trace historically the origin of 

 the various colours found in domestic horses. At the same 

 time I have endeavoured to indicate, though it must be con- 

 fessed rather cursorily, the influence exercised on the history of 

 the chief nations of the ancient, medieval, and modern world by 

 the possession of horses, and especially by the acquisition of 

 what I venture to term the Libyan horse. I have also tried to 

 point out the lessons of supreme importance to the breeder 

 which can be learned from the contemplation of the injury 

 wrought to breeds of great value by the ill-judged and un- 

 scientific introduction of alien blood, a practice in no small 

 degree due to a lack of historical knowledge, and to a general 

 belief that all our domestic races of horses, like those of tame 

 pigeons, have been obtained solely by artificial breeding from 

 a single wild species. 



I must add a few words respecting the method of writing 

 zoological names and the transliteration of foreign words. In 

 zoological terminology I have, of course, conformed to the rule 



