50 THE COLOURS AND MARKINGS OF HORSES. 



darker than the short hair of the body ; which variation 

 tends greatly, in the painter's language, to reUeve and throw 

 up the body-hue. If nature, in these varied markings, had 

 personal beauty really in view, as from analogy we may 

 suppose, it would then be natural to conclude that the 

 original horses all had it ; as a contrasted tint of mane 

 and tail is common to some colours more than to others ; 

 but these varieties will not afford any conjecture to be 

 thence drawn as to the hue prevailing among the primo- 

 genitors of the genus. Besides these contrastings of colours, 

 we may add those markings frequently met with, such as 

 the dark dorsal stripe of some breeds, as well as the band- 

 ings or stripings common on the legs and arms of others, 

 of the duns particularly. The humeral cross stripe is 

 principally found on the ass ; faint traces of it, however, 

 are now and then seen on some horses, but which, like 

 some other anomalies, may be rather considered as minute 

 links of assimilation to other more remote members of the 

 genus. A still more usual marking is found on the joints, 

 which are in many horses several shades darker than the 

 rest of the body, and in some others altogether black. The 

 dappling in the grey, the bay, the brown, &c., may be 

 regarded as intended, like the spots of the tiger and pan- 

 ther, to add to the beauty of the animal, and cannot be 

 considered as arbitrary deviations from nature, gained by 

 domestication or crossings in breed. 



On this subject it may be observed, that there is a sen- 

 sible difference between the markings imprinted by nature, 

 and those which are added by artificial agencies in opera- 

 tion since the subjugation of this animal. The former 

 please every eye, and they never offend : whereas such as 

 appear to be the consequence of cross alliances, or other 

 effects of domestication, however custom may have forced 

 on us the adoption, yet most of them are found to prove 

 unpleasant to the eye. Piebald horses are displeasing to 

 most; and few can ever become reconciled to the tiger-spotted. 

 Extensive markings of white on black horses offend all. 



