258 THE ARTISTIC ANATOMY OF ANIMALS 



narrow and of more oval shape, rather recall by their form 

 the aspect of an ogive. 



This seems to result from the fact that the fore-limbs sup- 

 port the more considerable part of the weight of the animal. 

 The best proof which can be given of this overweighting is 

 the eagerness with which very often, when a horse is stopped 

 near the edge of a footpath, for example, he places his fore- 

 feet on the latter. In thus raising his fore-quarters, he 

 throws part of his weight backwards, and in this way 

 relieves his fore-hmbs. 



With regard to the difference of form which we have 

 just pointed out, we have sometimes heard the follow- 



FiG. 103. — Inferior Surface of a Hind-hoof of a Horse : Left 



Side. 



I, External border ; 2, internal border. 



ing comparison made : the contour of the hoofs of the 

 fore-limbs, viewed from below, recalls that of an apple ; 

 that of the hoofs of the hind-limbs recalls the outUne of a 

 pear. 



As a mnemonic this comparison is insufficient, for nothing 

 connects either of the forms indicated with the region to 

 which the hoofs belong. 



We much prefer one made for us this very year by one of 

 the students of our course at the School of Fine Arts, after 

 the lecture in which we had just pointed out the differences 



