Masterpieces of Science 



into the region of osteological detail, I must 

 nevertheless trouble you with some statements 

 respecting the anatomical structure of the 

 horse; and, more especially, will it be needful 

 to obtain a general conception of the structure 

 of its fore and hind limbs, and of its teeth. 

 But I shall only touch upon these points which 

 are absolutely essential to our inquiry. 



Let us turn in the first place to the fore- 

 limb. In most quadrupeds, as in ourselves, 

 the fore-arms contains distinct bones called the 

 radius and the ulna. The corresponding region 

 in the horse seem at first to possess but one 

 bone. Careful observation, however, enables 

 us to distinguish in this bone a part which 

 clearly answers to the upper end of the ulna. 

 This is closely united with the chief mass of the 

 bone which represents the radius, and runs out 

 into a slender shaft which may be traced for 

 some distance downwards upon the back of 

 the radius, and then in most cases thins out 

 and vanishes. It takes still more trouble to 

 make sure of what is nevertheless the fact, 

 that a small part of the lower end of the bone 

 of the horse's fore-arm, which is only distinct 

 in a very young foal, is really the lower ex- 

 tremity of the ulna. 



What is commonly called the knee of a horse 

 is its wrist. The "cannon bone" answers to the 

 middle bone of the five metacarpal bones, 

 which support the palm of the hand in our- 

 selves. The "pastern," "coronary," and "coffin" 

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