38 

 the opposite side are necessarily separated. Any one 

 who has observed a horse feeding, will have remarked 

 that the animal, during the act, continually abducts 

 and adducts, the lower jaw not causing it to describe 

 a circle, as does the cow, but urging it first to one 

 side and then to the other. It will be seen, therefore, 

 that the whole force of those strong muscles, which 

 close the mouth of the horse, is employed on a portion 

 of the jaw at the same moment, and the power then 

 exerted must obviously be very great. Recognizing 

 this fact, the reason for all that has been pointed out — 

 the shelving tables — the grooved or indented sides — 

 the double inclination, and the great length of the 

 fangs is at once perceived, for the action is a 

 wrenching one ; and the greater extent of, and more 

 uneven, surface presented by the molars of the upper 

 jaw, facilitates the comminution, without imposing 

 weight upon the muscular activity. Had the larger 

 teeth been implanted in the inferior maxillary bone, 

 the labour imposed would have been much augmented, 

 and the end attained have been in no way expedited. 



21. Provision has been made hy Nature to meet 

 the wear to which the horse's teeth are subjected. 



