ON BREEDING. 
193 
instance of variety in the same species that occurs throughout 
the whole terrestrial creation; and if to these varieties of form 
and proportion w T e add the innumerable variations in colour and 
shades with which nature has been pleased to diversify the horse 
species, we are almost inclined to doubt the possibility of their 
their having all descended from the same parent stem. But, on 
enquiry, we shall discover, although the extremes, when con¬ 
trasted, appear exceedingly dissimilar, that they are connected, 
by many intervening degrees, gradually together: to account for 
these diversities, we must consider the agency of the various 
causes to which they have been exposed. 
The varieties observed in the horse species may be reduced 
to three heads:—first, the colour; secondly, the figure and 
stature; and thirdly, the disposition. 
ON THE COLOUR OF THE HORSE SPECIES. 
The different tints and shades with which Nature has been 
pleased to diversify mankind have generally been regarded as 
the most peculiar qualities of the various races by which their 
breed is determined. But the colour of horses does not depend 
on their skin, as in the human subject, but upon the vesture 
which nature has benevolently granted them, called hair. Their 
breed is not in the least determined by their colour, nor does their 
colour appear to be much influenced by climate, as among other 
animals, whose coverings seem to be modified, in many in¬ 
stances, by the temperature of the zone which they inhabit. 
To the operation of climate we attribute the prevalence of 
light colours in the animals of the polar regions, and the 
dark hues observed in those living under the torrid zone. 
This is very apparent in man, the chef (Tauvre of the terres- 
tial creation; in the arctic fox, the polar bear, and various 
other animals. But climate does not appear to have had this in¬ 
fluence on horses: they appear endowed with an inherent pro¬ 
perty capable of retaining their various hues under every variety 
of temperature; as in every country where horses are met with 
their colours are diversified; and if any exception is made, we 
consider that horses in the northern countries are darker in co¬ 
lour than those from the east. The heavy cart-horse, for in¬ 
stance, that is a native of a colder country than the thorough¬ 
bred, is generally black ; wdiilst it is a rare instance to meet with 
a thorough-bred perfectly black. u Horses,” says Mr. Percivall, 
in his Elementary Lectures on the Veterinary Art, “ that are 
natives of hot countries are in general light coloured, and have 
all sleek and fine coats.” 
But although the colour of horses does not appear to be altered 
VOL. III. D d 
