84 THE HORSE. 



column or bone, wliich is hollow and spongy, and, through a thousand 

 apertures in it, ramifies on the lamina of bone, twining spirally around the 

 column, and on the membranous fringe which iloats in the fluid with which 

 the shell is tilled, and the whole is covered by a thick expansion of nervous 

 matter. 



The cribriform plate extends beyond the base of the shell to the vesti- 

 bule, and those portions of nerve there enter, which spread over the vesti- 

 bule and the semi-circular canals ; but the principal part of it seems to be 

 given to the cochlea. 



What is the distinct and peculiar office of these parts, so curiously and 

 yet so differently constructed, we know not. They are both admirably 

 adapted to render the sense of hearing fully equal to every possible want of 

 the animal. In the horse the cochlea is much larger, compared with the 

 canals, than it is in the ox or sheep ; but for what especial piu'pose we are 

 unable to determine : nor can we account for the large pouch-shaped opening 

 of the Eustachian tube in the horse, (fig. 9, p. 68), nor for the small deve- 

 lopement of the mastoid cells in the horse, while they are exceedingly large 

 in the ox. There are many parts of the frame, the precise use or function of 

 which we cannot ascertain ; but, as far as we do understand the mechanism 

 of the various animals which pass under our notice, all is fittest and best ; 

 and the study of the animal frame, with a view to discover the evidences of 

 design, is pleasing and improving. 



The Eye is a most important organ, and comes next under consideration, 

 as inclosed in the bones of the skull. The eye of the horse should be 

 large, and somewhat but not too prominent, and the eyelid fine and thin. 

 If the eye be sunk in the head, and appareritly little (for there is actually 

 a very trifling difference in the size of the eye in animals of the same 

 species and bulk, and the seeming difference arises from the larger or 

 smaller opening between the lids), and the lid be thick, and especially if 

 there be any puckering towards the inner corner of the lids, that eye either 

 is diseased, or has been lately subject to inflammation ; and, particularly, if 

 one eye is smaller than the other, it has been, at no great distance of time, 

 inflamed. 



The eye of the horse enables us pretty accurately to guess at his temper. 

 If much of the white be seen, the buyer should pause ere he completes his 

 bargain ; because, although it may, yet very rarely, happen that the cornea 

 or transparent part is unnaturally small, and therefore an unusual portion 

 of the white of the eye is seen, and especially when the horse is looking 

 sideways, or backward, yet experience has shown that this display of 

 white is dangerous. The mischievous horse is slyly on the look out for op- 

 portunities to do mischief, and the frequent backward direction of the eye, 

 when the white is most perceptible, is only to give surer effect to the blow 

 which he is about to aim. 



We will give a cursory description of the eye, and the uses of its diffe- 

 rent parts. 



The eyes are placed at the side of the head, yet a litUe pointing for- 

 ward, to give the animal a more extended field of vision. He needs this 

 in his wild state to detect the approach of his enemies, and it is useful to 

 him when employed in our service. 



The eye is supported behind by muscles attached to different parts of the 

 bony orbit, and it is embedded in a vast mass of fat, upon which it may be 

 readily moved, and without friction; and that fat being absorbed in sickness 

 or old age, the eye is retracted and sinks into the orbit. 



In front, the eye is supported and covered by the lids, which closing 



