126 



COMPARATIVE SHAPE OF HORSES. 



between animals of speed and those of strength is that the 

 former have comparatively long legs, and that the latter have 

 comparatively short ones. We have in the camel a well- 

 marked exception to this rule. The Ship of the Desert, as 

 we may see in Fig. 228, has very long legs in comparison 

 to his length of body, and yet he is extremely slow for his 

 size. The cause of his lack of speed is chiefly owing to the 

 weakness of his ''rearing muscles" (p, 52), and to the 

 straightness of the column of bones of his fore limb (p. 50). 

 Hence, when he tries to go quickly, he is unable to raise his 



Fig. 228.— Camel. 



fore hand sufficiently to obtain a well-regulated period of 

 suspension, like that of the horse (Figs. 62, 131, and 145). 

 His gallop, which he attempts only on rare occasions, has so 

 much up and down motion in it that he can continue it but 

 for a very short time. His usual fast pace is a kind of amble 

 which has no period of suspension. The muscles of his 

 limbs, as compared to the weight of his body, are very 

 poorly developed. Many ''weedy'' horses (p. 239) which 

 have long legs are deficient in speed from causes similar 

 to those that render the camel slow. The law as to length 

 of limb can be amply verified, other things being equal, 



