Fad and Fashion 209 



from personal experience, through initiation of a 

 secret society. 



While the actual operation of docking, therefore, 

 is not cruel, the inhumanity comes later. Very 

 rarely a horse's tail may fester and prove tender for 

 awhile; but usually there are no after effects, and 

 the scab comes away from the stump in a week or so ; 

 but it is not at this stage that the wickedness of the 

 grotesque fashion is felt, or its real evils experi- 

 enced. 



Forthwith, and for all his after life, the poor 

 animal is destined to afford a pasture for countless 

 insects for from five to twelve months annually, 

 according to his climatic environment. If he is 

 exposed to their attacks out-of-doors, he is little 

 less at their mercy within, and the tender skin of 

 his thighs, hocks, etc., is to them a favourite swarm- 

 ing-place. Grown thin, finally, because of the con- 

 stant misery which tortures him, the kindly ( ?) 

 master orders him " turned out to grass " for a few 

 months to " gain flesh," and now indeed is the evil 

 hour of his torment come! I£ flies of all kinds drive 



