609 
MR. YOUATT’s VETERINARY LECTURES. 
•centre of the nose, indicates generally some breeding, especially 
if the head is small, but occasionally accompanied by a vicious 
uncontrollable disposition. 
There is another way, however, in which the nasal bones do 
more certainly indicate the breed, viz., by their comparative length 
or shortness. There is no surer criterion of a well-bred horse 
than a broad angular forehead, prominent features, and a short 
face ; nor of a horse of little breeding than a narrow forehead, 
small features, and lengthened nose. The comparative develop¬ 
ment of the head and the face indicate, with little error, the com¬ 
parative preponderance of the animal or intellectual principle. 
Observe the manner in which the nasal bones are connected 
with the neighbouring ones; see the strangely intricate mortised 
connexion with the frontal bones above. It gives a firmness of 
attachment between these bones, which no human ingenuity 
could have better contrived. A separation of one from the other 
is almost impossible. Here the strength is principally wanted. 
The parts most concerned with the sense of smell lie underneath. 
There the blow of brutal violence will oftenest fall; or should it 
fall lower, and the bone should yield, it would act with the in¬ 
creased power of a lever in separating the frontals from the bones 
above. Trace the connexion with the superior maxillary bones 
below. It is necessary that the base of the arch should be firm, 
or it will support little weight, and resist little force. The but¬ 
tress here is singularly and admirably contrived. It is not merely 
the overlapping or squamous suture of the temporal bone, but the 
superior maxillary is split into two laminae, and the nasal bones are 
received deeply between them, so that, whatever may be the force 
impressed on its crown, it is almost impossible that the arch of 
the nasal bones should give way at its base. Still lower down, 
where the process of the anterior succeeds to the superior maxillary, 
and the apices of the nasals are continued unsupported for tw o or 
three inches, and the attachment of these bones to those below 
ceases, the suture terminates by an increase of strength that al¬ 
most defies injury, for the nasals are received equally deep be¬ 
tween the plates of bone, and these bones are many times thicker 
than the superior maxillaries. The nasals are attached to each 
other bv a denticulated suture as far as the aethmoid bone extends : 
when the cavity becomes a mere air passage, they are less firmly 
united, and towards the apices have little more than a cartila¬ 
ginous attachment. Even in the disposition of the bones of the 
nose there are evident proofs of admirable contrivance. 
4 o 
VOL. IV. 
