100 THE ZOOLOGICAL CLASSIFICATION OF THE HORSE. 



If we look to the commerce of Ireland, there are few stage-waggons, or 

 drays with large cattle belonging to them, but almost everything is done by 

 one-horse carts. In the north of Ireland some stout horses are employed in 

 the carriage of linen ; but the majority of the garrons used in agriculture or 

 commercial pursuits are miserable and half-starved animals. In the north it 

 is somewhat better. There is a native breed in Ulster, hardy, and sure-footed, 

 but with little pretension to beauty or speed*. 



CHAPTER V. 



THE ZOOLOGICAL CLASSIFICATION OF THE HORSE. 



— • — 



There are so many thousand species of living beings, some so much resem- 

 bling each other, and others so strangely and altogether different, that it would 

 have been impossible to have arranged them in any order, or to have given any 

 description that could be understood, had not naturalists agreed on certain 

 peculiarities of form which should characterise certain classes, and other lesser 

 peculiarities again subdividing these classes. 



The first division of animals is into vertebrated and invertebrated. 



Vertebrated animals are those which have a cranium, or bony cavity contain- 

 ing the brain, and a succession of bones called the spine, and the divisions of it 

 named vertebra, proceeding from the cranium, and containing a prolongation of 

 the brain, denominated the spinal marrow. 



Invertebrated animals are those which have no vertebrae. 



The horse, then, belongs to the division vertebrated, because he has a cranium 

 or skull, and a spine or range of vertebrae proceeding from it. 



The vertebrated animals are exceedingly numerous. They include man, 

 quadrupeds of all kinds, birds, fishes, and many reptiles. We naturally look 

 for some subdivision, and a very simple line of distinction is soon presented. 

 Certain of these vertebrated animals have mammce or teats, with which the 

 females suckle their young. The human female has two, the mare has two, 

 the cow four, the bitch ten or twelve, and the sow more than twelve. 



This class of vertebrated animals having mammze or teats is called mammalia,- 

 and the horse belongs to the division vertebrata, and the class mammalia. 



• Pinkerton, in the second volume of his naturedly and well ; but we were now come to 



Travels, gives a curious account of the state of a difficult part of the road, even the top of a 



the Irish horses in the island of Raghery, on very rugged precipice. He was evidently 



the northern coast of Antrim, early in the last frightened, and after many attempts to shake 



century. A government survey of the coast off his fear, he refused to proceed another step, 



was taken at that time. " You must know," The reasoning process in his mind was evident 



says the writer, " that it was hut the other enough, and often amused me afterwards :— 



day that the people of Raghery recollected that ' You may have your whim when you cannot 



a road might be of some convenience to them, do either you or myself much harm, but I do 



so that in our excursion we were obliged to not choose to risk my neck for you or for any 



follow the old custom of riding over precipices one.' The bridle was taken off, he selected 



that would not appear contemptible even to a his own path, and the rider was carried over an 



man that enjoyed the use of his legs. It exceedingly dangerous heap of rocks, with a 



Beems that my horse, though fifteen or sixteen degree of caution which Mr. Pinkerton could 



years old, had never before felt a bridle in his not help admiring in the midst of his terror." 

 mouth. He had, however, borne it good- 



