10 
J. C. MEYER, SR. 
servant eye of the anatomist discovers muscles in their proximity 
which must have been the organs of motion of these bones- 
To-day these splints, together with their tender muscles, are use¬ 
less, therefore they are called rudiments. Nature has, however, 
retained these bones as evidence that the ancestors of the equine 
race were possessed of a differently constructed foot. The 
splints, therefore, correspond to the second and fourth finger of 
the human hand. 
The progenitors of the equidse must be sought for in the 
depths of the earth’s crust, where are their skeletons, proofs of 
former existence. 
The fossil remains of the equidse are found in thousands of 
specimens scattered in various parts of the earth, and in the 
course of many thousands of years, like all other animals, have 
been subjected to a continual, though imperceptible metamor¬ 
phosis before they finally attained the present form and 
stature. 
The horse of pre-historic time, that is in the Alluvium, was 
called Equus Caballus just as to-day, and wholly resembled the 
horse of to-day. His bones are found in caves and grottos, often 
accumulated in vast numbers; it was the wild horse which ex¬ 
isted in company with the mammoth, rhinoceros, cave-bear, rein¬ 
deer, gigantic deer, and was a favorite game of man. 
In the Diluvium the ancestor of our horse was a soliped, 
and resembled the horse of to-day in most respects; however 
there was a difference in the teeth. 
The oldest form of the equine race has been preserved in all 
three strata of the tertiary formation, pliocene, miocene, and 
eocene, still in the construction of the foot that degree of perfec¬ 
tion characteristic of the horse of to-day was not developed. 
On the fore as well as on the hind foot, the middle finger was 
most strongly developed ; the horse, at that time, must have used 
the middle finger as he does to-day. 
In the pliocene, the uppermost strata of the tertiary forma¬ 
tion, we find the liipparion. These animals are characterized by 
the presence of the middle and strongest developed hoof; on 
both sides are two small hoofs, which, however, do not touch the 
