ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY OF THE HORSe’s FOOT. 669 
beneath the basement membrane in the most delicate and 
beautiful manner. One or two thin twigs from minute 
ramifications near to, or on the surface of the cushion, enter 
Fig. 13. — Termination of a papilla, covered with epithelial cells and masses 
of pigment granules. Highly magnified. 
each process, and pass down its middle as gradually dimin- 
ishing canals, while from their sides are given off multitudes 
of the finest wreathings of capillaries that inosculate with 
each other in all manner of convolutions around the parent 
vessel, and constitute a very pretty microscopical subject. 
Each tuft contains veins arranged in a similar manner to 
the arteries, as well as a minute nervous twig. 
The very small extent of surface between these processes — 
which we may designate the “interpapillary” or “intervillous” 
space — is of somewhat the same character as the papillae 
themselves; that is, it is covered by basement membrane, 
which here also secretes horn cells, and beneath this is a 
perfect tissue of blood-vessels ramifying in every direction. 
A peculiar feature, and one which has not yet, to my know- 
ledge, been alluded to, may be noted here. This is the arrange- 
ment of the villi in somewhat regular perpendicular rows, more 
particularly on the lower half of the convex face of the cushion. 
These rows correspond to the laminae which appear below ; be- 
tween each range of tufts the interpapillary space is slightly 
depressed into a very narrow fissure running directly vertical in 
front, or slightly forward at the sides and heels ; each of these 
depressions responds to the commencement of a horny lamina, 
and it is in them, in fact, that these are secreted in health. 
"W e will have more to say on this point again, however. 
