THE BLOOD-VESSELS OF THE NECK, 239 



distinctly, in the cnt, page 237. It lies immediately under the skin, pro- 

 jecting from, or constituting, the front of the breast bone (H, p. 140), and 

 proceeds up the neck, of no great bulk or strength. At about three-fourths 

 of its length upward, it changes to a flat tendon, which insinuates itself 

 between the parotid and submaxillary glands, in order to be inserted into 

 the angle of the lower jaAV. It is used in bending the head towards the 

 chest. 



Another muscle, the termination of which Is seen, is the levator Jmmeri, 

 raiser of the shoulder (h, p. 199). This is a much larger muscle than the 

 last, because it has more duty to perform. It rises from the back of the 

 head and four first bones of the neck and the ligament of the neck, and is 

 carried down to the shoulder, mixing itself partly with some of the muscles 

 of the shoulder, and finally continued down to and terminating on the 

 humeiTis (J, p. 140). Its office is double. If the horse is in action, and 

 the head and neck are fixed points, the contraction of this muscle will 

 draw forward the shoulder and arm ; if the horse is standing, and the 

 shoulder and arm are fixed points, this muscle will depress the head and 

 neck. 



The muscles of the neck are all in pairs. One of them is found on each 

 side of the neck, and the office which has been attributed to them can only 

 be accomplished when both act together; but supposing that one alone of 

 the elevating muscles should act, the head would be raised, but it would 

 at the same time be turned toAvards that side. If one only of the depressor 

 muscles were to act, the head would be bent downwards, but it would like- 

 wise be tiirned towards that side. Then it will be easily seen that by this 

 simple method of having the muscles in pairs, provision is made for every 

 kind of motion, upwards, downwards, or on either side, for which the 

 annual can possibly have occasion. Little more of a practical natiire could 

 be said of the muscles of the neck, although they are proper and interest- 

 ing studies for the anatomist. 



This is the proper place to speak of the mane, that long haii- which covers 

 the crest of the neck, and adds so much to the beauty of the animal. 

 This, however, is not its only praise. In a Avild state the horse has many 

 battles to fight, and liis neck deprived of the mane would be a \Tilnerable 

 part. The hair of the mane, the tail, and the legs, is not shed in the same 

 manner as that on the body. It does not fall so regularly nor so often ; 

 for if all were shed at once, the parts would be left for a long time defence- 

 less. 



The mane is generally dressed so as to lie on the right side — some per- 

 sons divide it equally on both sides. For ponies it used to be cut off near 

 the roots ; only a few stumps being left to stand perpendicularly. This 

 was termed the hog-mane. The groom sometimes bestows a great deal of 

 pains in getting the mane of his horse into good and fashionable order. 

 It is wetted, plaited, and loaded with lead; and every hair that is a little 

 too long is pulled out. The mane and tail of the heavy draught-horse 

 are seldom thin, but on the well-bred horse the thin and well-arranged 

 mane is ornamental. 



THE BLOOD-VESSELS OF THE NECK 



Running doAATi the under part of the neck are the principal blood-vessels 

 going to and returning from the head, with windpipe and gullet. The 

 external arteries are the carotid, of which there are two. They ascend the 

 neck on either side, close to the windpipe, until they have reached the 

 middle of the neck, where they somewhat diverge, and lie more deeply. 

 They are covered by the sterno-maxillarls muscle, which has been just 

 described, and are ' separated from the jugulars by a small portion of 



