66 BOVINE PATHOLOGY. 



which that of the horse does under normal conditions, 

 though the corpuscles are about equal in size. 



The nervous system has a rather small cerebrum, due 

 especially to deficiency in size of the anterior parts of the 

 hemispheres; these also are remarkably short in the ox. 

 The spinal cord is fairly developed, and the ganglionic 

 system large and energetic. The organs of the senses are 

 all well developed, the skin is thick and somewhat loosely 

 applied, and covered with a dense coating of hair ; the 

 thermogenic functions are active, hence the internal tem- 

 perature is high. This we may associate with smallness 

 and insensibility of the organs of exit of heat as compared 

 with those of production. The other excretory organs, 

 kidneys and liver, are large and active ; the ^urine of the 

 ox differing in some marked chemical and physical char- 

 acters from that of the horse. 



The muscular system is less developed for functional 

 purposes than that of the horse, and is less compact. 

 The basement structures of the limbs are less adapted to 

 secure sharpness and precision in movements, and termi- 

 nate inferiorly in division, which produces the characteristic 

 cloven condition of the hoof in ruminants, while the limbs 

 of the ox are capable of more varied mobility than those 

 of the horse, of which the forward hick is a rather forcible 

 illustration. In each case these organs are used simply 

 for purposes of progression, the ox therefore is devoid of 

 ossific union of the fore extremity with the trunk, the 

 clavicle being absent and the scapula large. 



The generative system is largely developed both in male 

 and female. Sexual desires are urgent in the male, and 

 he is specially endowed with strength and weapons suitable 

 to enable him to maintain supremely against intruders into 

 the herd of which he is lord and master. A struggle 

 for existence among the males determines at once the 

 numerical excess of females and the continued improvement 

 of the race. The female is prolific, frequently producing 

 twins, with a period of gestation shorter than that of the 

 mare. The mammary gland is largely developed and 

 placed in the hypogastrium. 



