39*2 MR. BARLOW’S ANSWER TO MR. MAYHEW. 
joint above c, and is fixed there, it will extend that joint; and hav- 
ing thus acted upon these joints, the shoulder blade is prevented 
from bending upon the humerus at A, because the tendon rising at 
a is fixed at its lower extremity at b by the extension of the elbow 
joint, and the foot is further extended by these parts resting upon 
the muscles arising at the posterior part of the inferior head of the 
humerus. These muscles send off a tendon or ligament at the out- 
side of the knee, which, passing down, assists to keep the parts 
extended. The fascise and tendon covering and intermixing with 
the muscles which arise from the humerus, and extending down 
the leg, support the weight when the muscular fibres are at rest, 
and prevent them from being fatigued.” 
“ By the arrangement, then, of these parts, we see that, as the 
different joints of the limbs are acted on and fixed in a state of 
rest by tendons and ligaments, and as both ligaments and tendons 
possess but a small share of sensibility, and are, consequently, but 
little susceptible of fatigue, we are enabled to explain how a horse 
is capable of supporting himself, both asleep and awake, with a 
less degree of exertion or fatigue to himself than is the case with 
most other animals.” 
The words in italics contained in parentheses I have taken the 
liberty of introducing, in order to explain as to what particular 
parts the characters used by the author refer ; for, in addition to 
the “ popular” language in which the paper is written, the author 
uses two diagrams to make himself, in his own words, “ intelli- 
gible to those who do not possess an accurate knowledge of the 
mechanism of the fore leg of the horse.” 
Perhaps Mr. Mayhew may have heard of one “ Jeremiah 
Bridges, anatomist, from Oxford,” or, at all events, may have seen 
his plate of the muscles of the horse, for it is a common one. It 
was published in Long Acre, London, April 16th, 1772, and was 
inscribed to his Grace the Duke of Northumberland. In this plate 
Mr. Mayhew will find certain “ ligamentous bands” very accu- 
rately delineated. 
In a large and valuable folio work written by Lafosse, published 
in Paris 1772, and entitled Cours d’Hippiatrique,” equally cor- 
rect representations of these “ ligamentous bands,” both in the 
fore and hind leg, are to be found in plates 21 and 22, to which 
plates there are tables of reference. The above work is particu- 
larly worthy the attention of even discoverers ; there is much in it 
that, with such a garnishing as a Chiron could give, would really 
take as “ something new.” 
I did once think of giving more extended references, but I find 
it would inconveniently increase the length of my “ letter.” One 
more, and I have done for the present. In a French work written 
