CQJiOUR OF THE HAIR. 
297 
the instrument as evenly as possible. It must then be dipped 
in naphtha and lighted, and drawn gently over the coat of 
the horse, taking care not to go too deep at once, but 
repeating it frequently until the hair be burnt as close to 
the skin as possible. During this operation a blunt table- 
knife must be held in the left hand, with which to scrape 
out the flame from time to time, to prevent it burning 
too deep in any part, as well as to preserve the skin from 
being blistered. The singed hair must always be scraped 
carefully off before the flame be re-applied. The same part 
should not be singed several times in succession without 
allowing it to cool thoroughly, otherwise great irritation and 
fever may be induced. In singeing the neck, the mane 
must be turned to the opposite side to that which it is 
intended to burn, and a wet brush should be passed over 
the roots of it, to prevent the flame running over it. We 
would recommend that the operation of singeing should 
not be done all at one time, but by degrees on several 
successive days. 
COLOUR OF THE HAIR. 
Fashion too frequently regulates the prevailing colour of 
horses, because, as we have already observed, the colour of 
the coat is dependent upon chemical action, and conse¬ 
quently the constitution of the animal is connected with it. 
It will be found that there is also a sympathy between the 
colour of the hair and that of the eyes. The three primi¬ 
tive colours in the horse are white, red, and black ; and all 
the intermediate shades are modifications of these. Milk- 
white horses have very often wall-eyes, while blacks have 
dark hazel, and chestnut brown, varying in intensity with 
the depth of colour. 
Black horses have in genera) excellent constitutions. In 
