MISCELLANEOUS. 407 



mutilated others think that to be in the swim they must follow 

 suit. Indeed, we learn that all the horses in the Presidential 

 stables at Washington have their tails docked or banged. 

 Since the days of Thomas Jefferson the "White House horses 

 have carried their beautiful flowing manes and tails undis- 

 turbed. It is a regrettable fact that modern society requires 

 this barbarous usage, and it is more to be regretted . that 

 carriages of state are now incomplete without the disfigure- 

 ment of one of nature's most beautiful gifts to horses. 



That this practice will not be of long continuation is 

 evinced by the fact that the Humane Society for the Pre- 

 vention Of Cruelty to Animals have taken the matter into 

 their hands. Two interesting cases were recently tried in the 

 District Court of El Paso County, Colorado. The Humane 

 Society appeared as plaintiff and forced both the owners of the 

 horses and the veterinary surgeons who performed the opera- 

 tions to appear as defendants. In both suits the plaintiff came 

 off victorious. 



WARRANTY. 



The written warranty of a horse is a form of certificate 

 given on the purchase or payment, setting forth the soundness 

 or kindness — or both — of the animal under consideration. 



There are so many hidden things about the structure of the 

 horse that it must be a hazardous undertaking to warrant any 

 horse perfectly sound in all respects ; for while he may appear 

 to be so, as far as any one can see — from external appearances 

 — he may be possessed of some internal derangement of which 

 he may die in less than a week. Few persons will bring an 

 action against the seller for unsoundness, as it is difficult to 

 maintain such an action and get a verdict upon it; con- 

 sequently, the best forms of warranty amount to but little in 

 the eyes of the law. 



TO STOP A RUNAWAY HORSE. 

 A thin cord with a running noose around the horse's neck 

 is much used in Russia. 



