smallest angle permitted by the conformation of the 

 animal. 



It is then the conformation of the horse that must be 

 modified in order to reduce the duration of the periods of 

 minimum velocity. 



Let us examine how this is to be done. 



Let us first consider the fore hand upon which depends 

 the period of suspension. 



Again we must seek the solution in chronophotography. 



Figure 3 is a sketch representing the chronophoto- 



Fig. 3 (1). 



'It is interesting to study the play of the phalanges during the 

 rotation of the leg. At the time of grounding the phalangian lever 

 occupies the position P, at an angle acute to the horizontal ; this 

 angle closes and the lever takes the position P', which it maintains 

 while the leg is in positions 1 and 2 ; the angle then quickly opens 

 to a right angle : the phalangian lever is vertical at position P" when 

 the leg is at position 3. ^ , - ^ 



It is to be regretted that the Marey plates do not show an inter- 

 mediate position of the leg between positions 3 and 4 ; it would 



17 



