12 
J. C. MEYER, SR. * 
In the middle pliocene we arrive at the last degree—before 
the appearance of the horse of to-day—in the species of pliohip- 
pus, which have already lost the small conoid hoofs, and are in 
other respects very much like the horse. In the upper pliocene 
the true horse makes his appearance; in the after tertiary period 
it roams over the whole of North and South America, but be¬ 
comes extinct long before the discovery of the new world. 
When this part of the world * was discovered by Columbus, 
America did not possess a single horse. 
By the above line of ancestors of the present horse it will be 
seen, that from the original three-toed protoplasts, in innumerable 
generations, a one-toed animal gradually developed. It proves 
that a continual endeavor existed to simplify the limbs; the side 
toes gradually grew smaller until they eventually disappeared en¬ 
tirely, and now the rudimentary splint-bones only remain. 
9 
We have now arrived at the last stage of the development of 
the horse, and it may be unnecessary to state that paleontology is 
to be credited with these discoveries, a science, which though still 
in its infancy, has revealed many valuable facts. As is known, 
paleontologists met with much opposition at the outset. Their 
views did not harmonize with those given in Genesis, whose ad¬ 
vocates (particularly theologists), claimed that these fossil discov¬ 
eries were evidences of the deluge; however, the geologists 
gradually furnished so many proofs in favor of their science, 
that it is impossible to refute the same. Still, Darwin’s attempt 
to trace the lineage of man from the monkey has not at all events 
been accepted, as is shown in a discussion at a jubilee meeting 
of German naturalists and physicians held in 1878, at Munich. 
The instruction of youth in the higher branches was the topic of 
debate, in which three of the most noted scholars, Virchow, 
Naegeli and Haeckel participated. The former among other 
things said, “ prudence demands that they endeavor to make 
sure of their ground by wise moderation, by a putting forward of 
those things which are established in the sight of all men, rather 
than individual opinions.” In the course of discussion he also 
had occasion to refer to paleontological evidences, whereby it has 
been sufficiently proven that the horse is descended from a five- 
