26 THE HORSE FAMILY. 



Another statuette (N.H. 119) is that of the Thoroughbred 

 chestnut staUion " Zinfandel/^ a son of '• Persimmon '' out of 

 " Medora/^ He was foaled May 6th, 1900; and was winner of 

 the Ascot Gold Vase, the Manchester Cup, and the Brighton Cup 

 in 1903, and of the Jockey Club Cup at the Newmarket Houghton 

 Meeting in 1904. The statuette was presented by the owner. 

 Lord Howard de Walden, in 1905. 



Statuettes of several half-bred stallions and mares are also 

 shown. 



In a case alongside one of the pillars on the north side of the 

 hall are exhibited the bones of the left limbs of the Thoroughbred 

 '^StockwelP' (N.H. 97, 98) alongside those of the Shire Horse 

 '^Blaisdon Conqueror ^^ (N.H. 99, 100). In the following table 

 the measurements of the limb-bones of '^Stockwell^" are contrasted 

 with tho^e of a Cart-Horse : — 



Fore- 

 Limb. 



Hmd- 

 Limb. 



Race- Horse. Cart- Horse. 



^Humerus I3i in. 14| in. 



Kadms 15 14J 



Metacarpus 10^ 10^ 



I 1st Phalange 4 3| 



Femur 17 ISJ 



Tibia 15 15 



Metatarsus 124 I If 



^- 1st Phalange 3 J 4 



From this it will be seen that while the upper segment of 

 the limbs (humerus and femur) is shorter in the Race- Horse 

 than in the Cart-Horse, the reverse is the case with most of the 

 other bones. This greater proportionate length of the lower part 

 of the leg probably gives greater speed in the Kace- Horse ; but 

 a larger series of specimens is necessary before it can be definitely 

 affirmed that these proportions are constant. 



Specimens of The Shire Horse, so-called from being chiefly bred 

 the Shire in the Midland Counties, and the most powerful 

 Horse. animal of its kind, is the descendant of the old 



English Great Horst-, or Black Horse, which was used as a war- 

 horse when armour was worn, and was capable of carrying 32 stone. 

 By Queen Elizabeth^s time it was relegated to the duties of a coach- 



