THE EVOLUTION OF PATTERNS OF HAIR 55 



dense elastic tissue, adapted for supporting the head without 

 muscular exertion, but by its elasticity allowing a downward jerk 

 of the head and neck at every step. It is an exceedingly important 

 structure for a domestic horse. 



The Normal Arrangement of Hair. 



So much for the active part played by a horse's neck and 

 head, and for the simpler anatomical facts of the region involved. 

 Before proceeding to describe the results of these as seen in the 

 hair, it is well to make sure of a point which a critic might raise. 

 " How do you know," says he, " that some of the variations in 

 this highly variable region of the hair are not normal. What 

 is the normal type here ? " A very easy answer to this is found 

 by studying, not only any Ungulate known, except the Gnu, but 

 more particularly all wild Equidse ; and this reveals the fact that 

 in all this series the normal slope of hair prevails here, that is to 

 say, an even trend from head to shoulder. Variations in others, 

 indeed, hardly exist, and I may add that the absence of variations 

 here is a strong piece of negative evidence in my favour, for no 

 Ungulate comes near the domestic horse for amount and activity 

 of locomotion, which is indeed his raison d'etre. He is the only one 

 that has invented new patterns. But a little direct evidence can 

 be brought which clinches this argument from inference based on 

 ancestry. I made an examination, at the stables of Messrs. Tilling, 

 at Peckham, of 100 consecutive specimens of hackney, for the 

 purpose of ascertaining the proportion in that group of those that 

 showed the normal slope on the neck to those with variations. 

 In 62 of these the normal existed on both sides of the neck, 18 

 Normal on one side, and in the remaining 20 there were variations 

 on both sides. If 100 specimens of horses contain 80 with one side 

 and 62 with both normal the previous inference requires no further 

 support. 



Fourteen Varieties. 



I have put together here, and described, fourteen out of a much 

 larger number of the most instructive varieties of pattern that I 

 have been able to collect during the course of many years and 

 examination of several thousand horses. They comprise examples 

 the mostly likely, as I think, to convey to the reader an adequate 

 picture of the results of the strength, number and variety of 

 mechanical forces in our present battle-field of hair. The diagrams 

 almost speak for themselves, but a short written description will 

 help to emphasise the salient points. 



