T4 NATURAL HISTORY OP THE HORSE. 



Family. SoUpeda — uncleft-footed. 



Genus. Equus — the horse family. 



With the horse are ranked all those quadrupeds, whose generic 

 distinction is the undivided hoof — the equine genus. 



Equus caballus, the horse. 



Equus Hemionus, the dziggtai, Asiatic. 



Equus Zebra, the zebra, ^ 



Equus Burchelli, I South African. 



Equus Quagga, the Quagga, I 



Equus Asinus, the ass. 



The horse by far the noblest of the genus, is easily distin'' 

 guishable from the rest of the group. His varieties are exceed^ 

 ingly numerous, and differ widely in physical appearance. Thd 

 effects of climate and other agencies are displayed in his frame. 

 It has been asserted, though not upon suCScient basis, that he 

 arrives at the greatest perfection between the fifteenth and fifty- 

 fifth degrees of northern latitude. The mare is found capable 

 of generating her species as early as the second year of her 

 existence ; but it is detrimental to her form and the future ener- 

 gies of her offspring, thus prematurely to tax the productive 

 powers of her frame. It would be far more profitable to delay 

 this important function to the fourth or fifth year, when the 

 outline of her form approximates more closely to that of the 

 adult, and the vital energies of the animal economy become 

 more confirmed. Mares, in common with the females of many 

 other quadrupeds, are subject to a periodical appetency for the 

 male, which in them is termed horsing. The natural season of 

 its first occurrence is from the end of March to July, and so 

 providential is this arrangemejit, that the foal will be produced 

 at a time when nourishment is plentiful for its support. 



