REVIEWS. 
183 
the organ. M. Rey suggests no doubts concerning the foot’s 
elasticity. He considers there are ample proofs of it ; though 
those which he adduces he derives from the authorities usually 
now cited in its favour, and particularly refers to the recent 
work of M. Bouley. Bracy Clark’s opinions about it, he 
says, have met with contradictions. 
Speaking of the functions of the wall or crust, M. Rey 
“ asserts that the inner quarter of the hoof is not only 
straighter — less curved outward — than the centre, but is 
higher and deeper than it, and so tends to tilt the foot 
outwards in its tread, and thereby to throw more weight 
upon the outer quarter (which is the stronger one) than upon 
the inner. In feet whose walls are rather perpendicular than 
oblique, elasticity is all but annihilated, which renders pro- 
gression painful, the heels being high and contracted. At 
the same time we must admit, as an exception, mules’ and 
asses’ feet, in which the crusts are frequently perpendicular ; 
though they suffer nothing in consequence of this, because 
their coffin-bones are but imperfectly developed — parce qu'ils 
ont Vos du pied peu develope . The interruption of the wall 
posteriorly, where its divisions separate to form the bars, 
evidently permits of the dilatation of the foot from before 
backwards, as well as in the lateral direction. 
cc The sole descends from pressure, and in its descent forces 
out the inferior border of the wall, and so expands the foot. 
Thus the sole plays an important part in the dilatation and 
contraction of the foot. At the time the foot is off the 
ground, it presents its greatest degree of incurvation. But, 
on the contrary, when the foot is down, this incurvation 
becomes diminished ; while the bars diverge along their 
inferior border, and approximate along their superior. The 
sole is more concave in the hind than in the fore foo.t, whereby 
it tends, no doubt, to the augmentation of that force of 
impulsion, which these feet are designed to impart to the 
body. M. Auber has remarked, that if the sole be filled full 
of clay, the mass will suffer no displacement by the setting- 
down of the horse’s foot, proving that it does not sensibly 
descend under the weight, the effect of which is carried to 
its point of union with the wall. But this opinion, which 
