LATERAL FACES OF THE HEAD. 47 



This is the region in which the first white hairs, common in old horses of a 

 dark color, make their appearance. It is to be remembered, however, that we 

 may find gray temples in younger horses as well as in colts and foals. 



C. The Supra-orbit and Eyebrows (Fig. 19). 



Situation ; Limits ; Anatomical Base. The supra-orbit 

 is an asymmetrical depression situated above the eye, on the side of 

 the forehead, and above the cheek and the temple. 



This region, which corresponds to the most superficial part of the 

 temporal fossa, is filled with a mass of adipose tissue more or less 

 abundant. It indicates nothing as to the quality of the animal, but 

 it permits us to make an approximate inference of his age. It is 

 a well-known fact that in old horses the supra-orbits become hollow 

 from the absorption of the fat which in the young animal completely 

 occludes them. This fact is not so constant that very much im- 

 portance can be attached to it. 



Although the first condition does not lessen the real value of the 

 animal, horse-merchants, in order to obliterate these cavities when 

 empty, have endeavored to fill them by a very simple method which, 

 in the majority of cases, occasions no inconvenience. It consists in 

 making a deep puncture into the region with a large needle or the 

 sharp blade of a knife until the connective tissue of the temporal fossa 

 is reached. Having made the incision, the mouth is applied over the 

 opening and the connective tissue is forcibly inflated witji air. (A 

 hollow needle would be more expeditious.) We have seen one instance 

 in which an abscess complicated this operation. 



To detect this deception, it is only necessary to make pressure with 

 the fingers over the region, which will produce crepitation due to the 

 passage of the air through the connective tissue. 



Some authors have admitted a region of the eyebrows. Huzard 

 the elder and Merche have absolutely denied their existence. Lecoq * 

 refutes with good reason the latter opinion by remarking that in the 

 foetus the arches of the eyebrows are visible, in a very distinct manner, 

 a little before the remainder of the body is covered with hairs. Later, 

 they are confounded with the surrounding parts and lose, for this reason, 

 all interest from a point of view of the exterior. We will not dwell 

 any longer on this point. 



1 F. Lecoq, Exterieur du eheval, 4e 6d., p. 215. 



