THE SKELETON. 25 



The Face occupies in horses much the largest portion of the 

 skull, which is necessary more particularly to afford sufficient 

 room for the development of the molar teeth. The superior and 

 anterior part of the face is occupied by the nasal bones, which 

 thus form the roof of the mouth, and the cavity of the nose. 

 These bones are somewhat conical in shape, the base being 

 above, from whence they taper irregularly to a point below. 



The Superior Maxillary bones form the greater portion of the 

 face, extending the whole length of the molar teeth, for which 

 these bones form suitable sockets, and, laterally, from the molar 

 teeth to the nasal bones. Within the cavity of the mouth these 

 bones form the roof of the palate, being united together in the 

 middle by a suture. They also form the greater portion of the 

 nasal cavity, thus having three surfaces, the facial, the nasal, and 

 the palatine. 



The Anterior or Inferior Maxillary bones are singular, inas- 

 much as they are wanting in the human subject. They com- 

 mence in the angle formed by the separation of the nasal from 

 the maxillary bones, whence they extend downwards, connected 

 to the latter bones, but reaching much beyond them ; they then 

 become larger and stronger, so as to afford deep and secure 

 sockets for the upper incisor teeth. 



The Malar bones are situated on the sides of the face, above 

 the large maxillary bones ; they are somewhat singular, and very 

 irregular in shape, a part being situated within the orbit of the 

 eye. They form nearly half the border of the orbit ; and their 

 upper part assists in forming the zygomatic arch, from whence a 

 ridge of bone, called the zygomatic sj)ine, is continued down- 

 wards, not only to the extent of these bones, but also to that of 

 two inches of the superior maxillary bones. 



The Lachrymal bones, so called because the lachrymal duct 

 for the conveyance of the superfluous teai's to the nostrils passes 

 through them, is situated about half within and half Avithout the 

 orbit, the latter portion being between the malar and the nasal 

 bones. 



The Palate bones are situated at the base of the cranium, and 

 at the upper part of the palatine surface of the superior maxillary 

 bones. They jointly form tlie concave or semi-oval border, 

 which sepai'ates the cavity of the nostrils from that of the mouth. 

 A small portion of the bones assists in forming the back part of 

 the orbit. 



The fo7ir Turbinated bones are situated within the cavity of 

 the nostrils, the two superior being attached to the nasal, and 

 the two inferior to the maxillary bones. They are oblong, 

 porous, and extremely thin, and rolled up somewhat like a 

 turban. By this conformation their surfaces are greatly ex- 

 tended for the spreading out of the olfactory nerves. 



