448 CLASS MAMMALIA. 



head is square, the frontal ridge is hollowed, rather than 

 prominent, the chest narrow, and sometimes resembling 

 that of a stag. This conformation which has been re- 

 garded as a defect, is common to all animals intended for 

 swift and frequent motion ; the knowledge of the first laws 

 of animal physiology is sufficient to vindicate its necessity. 

 This horse is distinguished by a fine skin, smooth hair, and 

 the sanguiferous vessels are very apparent : the apophyses 

 to which the muscles are attached are strongly defined, 

 the muscles themselves are also clearly designated under the 

 skin ; the articulations are large and strong, and exempt 

 from those defects so often observed among our common 

 horses. The limbs are fine and have no more hair than the 

 rest of the body, and the foot is excellent and sure ; the 

 common stature is about four feet six or seven inches. 



The Arab Horses receive a moderate portion of nutri- 

 ment — generally about five or six pounds of barley in the 

 evening, and sometimes in the tent a little minced barley- 

 straw. They generally travel from eighteen to twenty 

 leagues in the day, sometimes more ; they do not sweat 

 much, and are for a long period fit for service. Their wind 

 is exceedingly good — we might say almost inexhaustible- 



A horse of this description will in running carry his head 

 and chest so as completely to cover his rider. His tail turns 

 up in the air, and curls in a manner which we have vainly 

 attempted to imitate by an operation equally useless and 

 barbarous. This horse, in short, possesses in the most 

 eminent degree the qualities of endurance, vigour, and ad- 

 mirable temper. This union of characters, which are appli- 

 cable to every service, and which always prove hereditary, 

 places the Arabian Horse without a rival at the head of his 

 species. 



The Arabs divide their horses into two races. One, in 

 no great repute and appropriated to servile uses, they name 

 Kadischi, which means horses of an unknown race. The 

 second kind they call Kochlani, Kohejle, or Kailhan, which 



