12 



ANATOMICAL CONSIDERATIONS. 



althoiigh it confers solidity upon tlie body, is nevertheless upheld by 

 the structures with which it is enveloped. The bony column, however, 

 when united and bound together, exhibits an intention of bestowing elas- 

 ticity quite as much as of conferring strength. In the first place, the 

 sohd column is crowned by a broad but thin plate of cartilage, the yield- 

 ing property of which has already been dilated upon ; so that the trunk 

 not only swings upon living fiber, but the primary weight is endured by 

 what anatomists designate "the most elastic substance in the body," of 

 a shape and form which develops to the uttermost its bending property. 

 The arrangement of the shoulder-blade and the bone on which it rests 

 being angular, evidently contemplates a yielding to any force coming 

 from above. The two next bones cannot be viewed as meant solely for 

 strength; though the several parts of the knee and shank are slightly 

 columnar in their order, nevertheless the pastern 

 bones again display an intent to yield rather than 

 a design at gaining decided resistance. Yet, even 

 there remains further food for contemplation when 

 viewing these dry bones of a quadruped. The 

 shock, of which the rider complains when doomed 

 to cross the trunk of some poor animal whose 

 body has been disorganized by abuse, is occa- 

 sioned by the bones having been, through dis- 

 ease, thrown from their natural positions. 



Engineers well know that sand will oppose the 

 force of a cannon ball, the power being rapidly 

 exhausted which has to travel through numerous 

 separated particles. Each grain of sand, there- 

 fore, being distinct, a bag of that substance offers 

 a good preventive to the concussion produced 

 by the explosive force of gunpowder. But the 

 reader, when endeavoring to ascertain the pro- 

 visions instituted by Benevolence to save the 

 equestrian from concussion, can at once perceive 

 the purpose for which the osseous support of the 

 limb was formed of several pieces, as well as ap- 

 preciate the beauty and grace of motion which is 

 thereby assured. 



Looking at the illustration, we observe that certain of the component 

 solids of the limbs are altogether out of the perpendicular, and conse- 

 quently must receive other support than is derived from the bone imme- 

 diately below them. Indeed, no portion of the structure is decidedly 

 columnar in its arrangement. Either the parts are crooked, or they lean 



THE BONES OF THE FORE LIMB. 



