714- 



SOLIPEDA 



description of their anatomy and general or- 

 ganisation. 



The Solipeda, zoologically considered, com- 

 prehend but the single genus EQUUS, at once 

 distinguishable from all other quadrupeds by 

 the remarkable construction of the anterior 

 and posterior extremities, each of the four 

 feet appearing externally to consist of but 

 a single toe enclosed in a solid hoof of 

 horn, although, within, there are found con- 

 cealed beneath the skin the rudiments of two 

 other digits, appended to each side of the 

 metacarpal and metatarsal portion of the 

 limb. 



The genus EQUUS is further characterised 

 by the following peculiar disposition of the 

 dental apparatus : There are six sharp and 

 trenchant incisors both in the upper and in 

 the lower jaw, and an equal number of grind- 

 ing teeth, the crowns of which are of a square 

 form, each having its surface intersected by 

 deep plates of enamel, arranged in the shape 

 of four crescentic masses, in addition to which 

 there exists in the teeth of the upper jaw a 

 small disc of enamel, situated upon the inner 

 border of each tooth. 



The males have, moreover, two small canine 

 teeth developed in the upper jaw, and some- 

 times in the lower one also ; bat these canine 

 teeth, or tushes (tusks), as they are generally 

 called, are for the most part altogether want- 

 ing in the females. A considerable interspace 

 exists between the canine teeth and the first 

 molar, so that that portion of the mouth of 

 the horse which is opposite to the commis- 

 sure of the lips is devoid of any dental arma- 

 ture, a circumstance of which man has availed 

 himself for the purpose of introducing into 

 the mouth of these animals that bit by the 

 aid of which he is enabled to subjugate his 

 steed, and thus secure to himself the services 

 of an assistant not less conspicuous for his 

 indomitable strength than for his matchless 

 docility. The stomach of the Solipeds is 

 simple in its form, and of moderate dimen- 

 sions, but their intestinal canal is of very 

 great length, and the coecum and colon enor- 

 mous in their proportionate size. 



Thus characterised, the genus Equus is 

 found to comprehend several different races 

 of quadrupeds that are generally regarded by 

 modern naturalists as constituting so many 

 distinct species. These are 1st. The Horse 

 (Equus Cabal-ltui), " man's noble companion in 

 the chase or on the battle-field, in the labours 

 of agriculture, in the arts, or in commerce." 

 The original country whence the horse has 

 been disseminated through the whole world 

 has now become a matter of uncertainty,, 

 although most probably the wide plains of 

 eastern Europe and of Asia, where wild 

 horses still abound, may be pointed out as 

 their central station. That they were in com- 

 mon use in Egypt from the very earliest pe- 

 riod of which we have any record, is evident 

 from the sacred writings (vide Gen. c. xlviu 

 v. 17., and c. 1. v. 9.). and hence it is supposed 

 to have been derived by the Arabs, Persians, 

 Ethiopians, Indians, Parthians, Scythians, c. 



At the present day, 'wild horses are by na 

 means common even in their native regions, 

 owing to the encroachments of man upon 

 their original haunts; but, on the other hand, 

 they have spread over the vast prairies of the 

 new continent, and may now be said to be 

 as extensively distributed as the human race 

 itself. 



The second species admitted by zoologists 

 to form a distinct race is the Dzigguetai 

 (Equus Hemiomis), intermediate in size be- 

 tween the horse and the ass, from both of 

 which it is distinguished by its colour, which 

 is light bay, with a black mane and dorsal 

 line, and it also has a black tuft of hair at 

 the end of its tail. This animal is found in 

 large troops among the sandy plains of Cen- 

 tral Asia, 



3d. The ass (Equus Asinus), at once recog- 

 nisable by the length of its ears, by the tuft 

 of hair at the end of its tail, and by the black 

 cross upon its shoulders, which is the first 

 appearance of those transverse bands which 

 become numerous in the succeeding species. 

 This animal seems to be indigenous to the 

 desert regions of Central Asia, where vast 

 troops of them still abound in a wild state. 



4th. The Zebra (Equus Zebra), a native of 

 the southern regions of Africa, and conspicuous 

 for its symmetry and the alternate transverse 

 stripes of black and white with which its skin 

 is all over marked. 



5th, The Quagga (Equus Quaccha), a native 

 of the same regions as the Zebra, from which 

 it principally differs in the colour of its skin 

 and more horse-like appearance. Its hair 

 upon the neck and shoulders is brown, marked 

 transversely with white stripes ; its croup is 

 of a greyish-red colour, while the tail and 

 legs are white. The name of this animal is 

 derived from its peculiar voice, which some- 

 what resembles the bark of a dog. 



6th, The Onagga, or Dauw (Equus mon- 

 tanus), is somewhat less than the ass, and in. 

 its shape resembles the quagga. Its general 

 colour is a light bay marked with black stripes,, 

 that are alternately broader and narrower 

 over the head, neck, and trunk ; the hinder 

 stripes are directed obliquely forward, while 

 the legs and tail remain white. 



With respect to their anatomy, it may be 

 observed, that all the above species resemble 

 each other as closely in their internal economy 

 as they do in outward form, and accordingly, 

 in the following pages, we shall confine our- 

 selves principally to a description of the 

 horse, as being the typical species of the 

 group, noticing, however, incidentally, such 

 peculiarities of structure as may be worthy of 

 remark in the humbler congeners of their 

 noble prototype. So near, indeed, is the 

 relationship between the different members of 

 the entire genus, that they will breed together 

 without difficulty, although the progeny of 

 such a union, the mule, is generally incapable 

 of reproduction. Such is well known to be 

 the case between the horse and the ass, as 

 also with the zebra, and doubtless with the 

 genus generally. 



