334 ANIMALS 



large as a sheep. Then the second and fourth toes became splints, 

 while the splints of the first and fifth toes disappeared entirely. This 

 is the condition in the modern horse. Its hoofs are the enlarged nails 

 of the third (middle) toe, and there are splints that represent the second 

 and fourth toes. 



347. Importance of Animals to Man. Primitive men 

 seem to have lived upon the fruits, seeds, and roots of 

 wild plants, and upon insects, worms, and small reptiles. 

 But when they invented weapons and tools, they were 

 able to kill large, wild animals, and to live upon meat. 

 It was an important day when, with traps and snares, 

 men began to capture animals alive; for they then began 

 the process of domesticating animals. The people of 

 Europe and Asia certainly learned to keep cattle, goats, 

 sheep, horses, and chickens, very long ago. As these 

 animals were protected by man, they gradually lost many 

 of their wild habits, and man, too, in depending upon 

 them, largely lost his need of hunting wild game. It was 

 natural, however, that men living near the ocean or 

 inland waters should continue to catch water animals, 

 such as fish, oysters, and lobsters, and these, especially 

 fish, still form the food of a large portion of the human 

 race. 



Man learned to use his domestic animals not only for 

 their meat and milk, but also to carry himself and his 

 loads. To give his animals and himself a more certain 

 supply of vegetable food, he cultivated grains, fruits, etc. 

 As a result, he was able to cease his wandering over the 

 earth in search of pasturage, and to settle down upon 

 farms. Strangely enough, the horse probably originated 

 upon the American continent, but became extinct here 



