THE HORSE. 



Equidae, states definitely *' the period of gestation is eleven 

 months/^ 



The distribution of the horse on the earth's surface at 

 the present time is largely owing to the agency of man. 

 In Europe wild horses were exceedingly abundant long- 

 before the historic period. Their remains are found 

 associated with those of man and domesticated animals 

 belonging to what is called the Neolithic or Stone period. 

 Representations of horses have been found carved on 

 bones and antlers in caves in the south of France, the 

 horse resembling that which is at present feral in the 

 Steppes of Russia and Tartary. Cassar records the ancient 

 Britons as using war chariots, and the horse is represented 

 in the monumental records of Egypt nearly 2000 years 

 before the Christian era. Horses have now been conveyed 

 to every part of the civilised world. It is probable, 

 though not quite certain, that the horse did not exist in 

 the historic period in America until after its discovery by 

 Columbus, although it is remarkable that fossil remains 

 of true horses are found in almost every part of America. 

 They then appear to have been exterminated and have 

 since been re-introduced by man, and have now become 

 feral in large numbers. The horse was undoubtedly 

 introduced by man into Australia, no hoofed animals 

 existing in that vast continent at the time of its discovery. 



Whether there are any truly wild horses at the present 

 time — that is to say, animals whose ancestors have never 

 been domesticated — is doubtful. Sir William Flower says 

 that the nearest approach to the truly wild horse existing 

 at the present time are the so-called tarpans, which occur 

 in the Steppe country north of the Sea of Azoff. They 

 are small in size, dun colour, with short mane, and rounded 

 obtuse nose. There is no evidence to prove whether they 



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