140 THE EFFECT OF HEAT ON ANIMALS 



wanted to shirk work. ' He's artful, he's artful,' was 

 the invariable reply, if the condition of the animal's 

 coat were pointed out as a reason for moderating the 

 pace. Nervous exhaustion from heat is probably more 

 common among horses than is supposed. They suffer 

 not oniy from the depression of tone caused by the 

 temperature, but from the worry and excitement in- 

 duced by flies and insects, which madden the working 

 horse, with no time or means to rid himself of them 

 effectually. The network jackets and flaps granted 

 even to smart carriage-horses in hot weather are a real 

 benefit to them, and if cows could be provided with 

 similar but more extensive protection, it is certain that 

 the yield of milk would be increased by the respite 

 from constant nervous worry. That it is the flies 

 which accompany heat, rather than the heat itself, 

 from which animals suffer when wild, or domesticated 

 animals when at rest, seems proved by their habits in 

 the New Forest. There the wild ponies and cattle all 

 leave the woods in the mid-day heat and congregate in 

 what are known as ' shades.' But these ' shades ' are 

 shadowless, being generally some quite open and 

 elevated spot with no trees near and in the full glare 

 of the sun. There, however, the tree-haunting flies 

 and gnats are fewer, and if there is a breeze it can 

 usually be felt. They prefer to face the heat to enduring 

 the heat-insects, and more especially the crawling New- 



