CHAPTER XXI. 



GROWTH, DECAY, AND DEATH. 



Growth. — The young of the herbivora very rapidly shake 

 off the helpless condition in which they first find them- 

 selves in this world. This is largely due to the fact that 

 they are born with a nervous system in a high state of 

 development ; in the course of a few hours they learn to 

 stand and walk, and in a day or two can skip and run. The 

 young animal, moreover, is born in full possession of its 

 senses, such as sight, touch, hearing, smell, taste, and with 

 an amount of intelligence which nearly, if not quite, equals 

 its parent; it practically has nothing to learn but obedience 

 to man. 



Not only is the nervous system in an advanced condition, 

 but also the locomotor : the legs of the foal are remarkably 

 long, some of the bones being nearly their full length, 

 though, of course, not of their full weight; such joints as 

 the knee and hock are nearly their full size. We can 

 understand the reason of this development of the limb 

 from what we have previously said, and the length of leg 

 in the foal is undoubtedly for the purpose of enabling the 

 animal to reach the mammary gland. 



The limb, however, is only partially developed ; from the 

 knee and hock to the ground it is nearly the length of the 

 adult ; from the knee and hock to the elbow and stifle it is 

 decidedly below the adult ; whilst from the elbow to the 

 withers, and the stifle to the croup, the body has a con- 

 siderable amount to grow. It has been said, and the state- 

 ment appears to be true, that the future height of the foal 



