94 THE STOCK owner's ADVISER. 



becomes an obstruction to muscular action. It has, however, a 

 happy effect upon the skin and hair. Oozing out at the pores, it 

 oils the entire surface of the skin, which is thus kept soft and 

 pliant, making the hair smooth and glossy. The tendons are 

 structures resembling ligaments in their composition, being- 

 formed of white fibrous tissue mixed with yellow. They form 

 the termination and attachment of muscles to the bones, are 

 practically non-elastic, and serve an important purpose in the 

 animal economy. 



It is not our design in this work to even classify the muscles 

 or to name them. The reader may obtain a knowledge of their 

 location by referring to the plate, which shows the superficial 

 muscles of the body and their names. 



MEMBRANES. 



The muscles are bound down by strong membranous expan- 

 sions of white fibrous tissue called fascia, which is firmly con- 

 nected with the bone, and known as the superficial and deep 

 fascia. The superficial fascia, varying in thickness in different 

 regions of the body, separates the muscles from the skin. Its 

 chief use is to protect the vai'ious structures in contact and to 

 conserve the animal heat, fat being a bad conductor. The 

 aponeurotic or deep fascia encloses the body of each muscle in a 

 sheath, and becomes united to and blended with the periosteum. 

 This fascia is very strong, and prevents displacement of the 

 muscles during severe exertion. 



Under this head we will consider, briefly, the membrane which 

 lines the four great systems of the body — the digestive, respira- 

 tory, urinary, and genital systems — from all of which are aper- 

 tures on the surface of the body. These cavities are lined by 

 mucous membrane and provided with various glands and other 

 necessary organs, becoming continuous with the skin at each of 

 their orifices. While it lines the four great systems, the charac- 

 ter of the membrane changes with the different organs. In some 

 it is smooth; in other organs it is rough or in folds, and supplied 



