262 
THE CABINET OF NATURAL HISTORY, 
limits the growth of the plant, in a great measure, to the 
trunk andpcirt of the larger branches of the tree. When 
it has got so high, the formation of claws and tendency to 
climb cease, and the branches produce flowers succeeded 
by berries. In the adhesion of Ivy to rocks and walls, the 
frequent overlapping of its branches serves most material- 
ly to strengthen its hold, and we observe innumerable 
young branches not climbing up in the direction of the 
parent trunks, but crossing and twining over them in all 
possible ways, transversely and oblique, and tying them 
down as with strings or cords to the surface on which they 
are placed. This is still more evident in trees where we 
find the young shoots of the Ivy often forming rings round 
the trunks and thicker branches, like so many girths or 
braces. The intertwinings of the branches, and their ser- 
pentine direction, often bear a very exact resemblance to 
the distribution of blood-vessels in some parts of the ani- 
mal body; and I have remarked a circumstance still more 
curious, that whenever the branches which cross each other 
have become as thick as one’s little finger, they grow to- 
gether at the points of contact, so as to become perfectly 
consolidated with each other. This is still more striking 
in the larger branches, and you will often, on observing 
the trunk of an Ivy bush, find that it is composed of a con- 
geries of smaller stems which have all grown together into 
one mass, and formed what, without examination, would 
seem to be one simple uncompounded trunk. 
[. Letters to a Young Naturalist. 
From the Library of Useful Knowledge. 
THE VICES AND DISAGREEABLE OR DAN- 
GEROUS HABITS OF THE HORSE. 
( Concluded. ) 
wind-sucking. 
This bears a close analogy to crib-biting. It arises 
from the same causes; the same purpose is accomplished; 
and the same results follow. The Horse stands with his 
neck bent; his head drawn inward; his lips alternately a 
little opened and then closed, and a noise is heard as if he 
were sucking. If we may judge from the same compara- 
tive want of condition, and the flatulence which we have 
described under the last head, either some portion of wind 
enters the stomach, or there is an injurious loss of saliva. 
This diminishes the value of the Horse almost as much as 
crib-biting; it is as contagious, and it is as inveterate. The 
only remedies, and they will seldom avail, are tying the 
head up, except when the Horse is feeding, or putting on 
a muzzle, with sharp spikes towards the neck, and which 
shall prick him whenever he attempts to rein his head in 
for the purpose of wind-sucking. 
NOT LYING DOWN. 
It not uncommonly happens that a Horse will seldom or 
never lie down in the stable. He sometimes continues in 
apparent good health, and feeds and works well; but ge- 
nerally his legs swell, or he becomes fatigued sooner 
than another Horse. If it is impossible to let him loose in 
the stable, or to put him into a spare box, we know not 
what is to be done. No means, gentle or cruel, will 
force him to lie down. The secret is that he is tied up, 
and either has never dared to lie down through fear of the 
confinement of the halter, or he has been cast in the night, 
and severely injured. If he can be suffered to range the 
stable, or have a comfortable box, in which he may be 
loose, he will usually lie down the first night. Some few 
Horses, however, will lie down in the stable, and not in a 
loose box. A fresh, well-made bed, will generallly tempt 
the tired Horse to lie down. 
OVERREACH, 
This unpleasant noise, known also by the terms “ click- 
ing,” “ overreach,” &c., arises from the toe of the hind 
foot knocking against the shoe of the fore foot. In the 
trot, one fore leg and the opposite hind leg are first lifted 
from the ground and moved forward, the other fore leg 
and the opposite hind leg remaining fixed; but, to keep 
the centre of gravity within the base, and as the stride, 
or space passed over by these legs, is often greater than 
the distance between the fore and hind feet, it is neces- 
sary that the fore feet should be alternately moved out of 
the way for the hind feet to descend. Then., as occa- 
sionally happens with Horses not perfectly broken, and 
that have not been taught their paces, and especially if 
they have high hinder quarters and low fore ones, if 
the fore feet are not raised in time, the hind feet will 
strike them. The fore foot will generally be caught 
when it has just begun to be raised, and the toe of the 
hind foot will meet the middle of the bottom of the 
fore foot. It is a very disagreeable noise, and not alto- 
gether free from danger; for it may so happen that a 
Horse, the action of whose feet generally so much in- 
terferes with each other, may advance the hind foot a 
little more rapidly, or raise the fore one a little more 
slowly, so that the blow may fall on the heel of the 
shoe, and loosen or displace it; or the two shoes may 
be locked together, and the animal may be thrown; or 
the contusion may be received even higher, and on the 
