254 A COURSE ON ZOOLOGY. 



The horse, asses, zebras, and quagga make up the 

 family equidae ; their feet terminate in single toes 

 protected by but one hoof. They are all herbivorous, 

 and the digestive apparatus is simple ; they do not rumi- 

 nate. 



As we know the horse, he is the result of intelligent 

 breeding, continued for centuries, and directed to render 

 this valuable servant better adapted to fulfil the func- 

 tions for which man designs him. The wild horse that 

 is, in a natural state and neither raised nor broken by 

 man is smaller than the domestic horse ; it has long, 

 coarse hair, a large strong head, projecting bones ; but 

 delicate, well-formed limbs. 



The jaws of the horse are provided with teeth which 

 are worthy of study : at the back of the mouth are the 

 large square molars which are used to crush and grind 

 grains, straw, and fodder ; they are twenty-four in num- 

 ber, twelve on each side, six above and six below. In 

 front are flat teeth with sharp edges, used in cropping 

 herbage ; they are the incisors, and number twelve, six 

 above and six below. Between the molars and incisors, 

 above and below and on each side, is a space without 

 teeth, and where the gums are naked. This is the space 

 in which lies the bit, and it is called the bar. Usually, 

 each jaw of the male has two dog-teeth, which represent 

 the canines of the carnivora, and are placed in front of 

 and at a little distance from the molars. 



In our days the true wild horse seems to have disap- 

 peared ; nevertheless in those parts of both continents 

 known as steppes, savannas, pampas, and prairies are 

 found horses that have been untamed and independent 

 for several generations, being descendants of domestic 

 horses that have escaped or become lost; these wild 



