82 TIPS AND TOE-WEIGHTS. 



give elasticity to the foot, and, with the soft cushion spoken of by Professor 

 Dawkins, would account for the noiselessness of the elephant's tread. 



On one occasion, a friend and myself marched our elephants up to a sleep- 

 ing tiger without disturbing the latter's slumbers. 



It is a curious fact that twice around an elephant's foot is his height ; it 

 may be an inch one way or the other, but still sutEciently near to make an 

 estimate. 



It is evident that there must be provided something more than is 

 found in the foot of the dog and the horse to counteract the force of 

 the immense weight sustained by the massive peiijendicuhxr columns. 

 The cushion, composed of the tissues the best adapted to give soft- 

 ness and elasticity, is spread out to an immense size to increase its 

 effectiveness. " Twice round " the foot of a horse would lack several 

 inches of reaching the elbow, and in a majority of thoroughbreds the 

 proportion would be nearly as one to five in measuring the height. It is 

 also evident that the smaller foot is one of the elements of speed, and 

 to prove this it is only necessary to compare that of the di-aft horse 

 with the pedals of the racer. The foot of the dog is much larger in 

 comparison with the size, especially the weight, and hence a softer 

 cushion is admissable. To withstand the increased attrition, the 

 material must be hardei*, and in lieu of the indurated sole of the foot 

 of the dog there is the still firmer frog. But, as has been partially 

 explained heretofore, the frog is a reinforcement, aiding the parts 

 which have stood the hardest shock of the battle. The first charge 

 has been met with the wall, and the forcing the wall apart, made 

 possible by the commissures, gives the frog the opportunity to play its 

 part. It is astonishing that this should be so persistently ignored, 

 when all but one crazy theorist, and perhaps a few of his disciples, 

 admit the importance of allowing the frog to perform the part Nature 

 intended. 



A general who would shut up his reserves in a space where there 

 could not be a chance for the least exercise, who left them there until 

 the muscles were wasted away and the nervous force entirely lost, who 

 went into an engagement in which he was defeated entirely from 

 neglecting this important part of his command, offers a parallel to 

 those who still cling to the old-time absurdities. Ignoring the func- 

 tions of the frog is not the only injury which follows the common 



