SYNOPSIS OF VETERINARY CONTINENTAL JOURNALS. 625 
American fossils of which we are about to speak. Among these 
latter the most ancient representative of the Equidse is the 
Eohippus , which has been found in the lower strata of the 
Eocene. It had forty-four teeth, caducous molars not 
meeting the permanent teeth, ulna and radius distinct, 
five digits to the anterior limbs, of which only one touched 
the ground, three to the posterior limbs, of which all met the 
ground; its size was about that of a fox. In the upper 
strata of the Eocene is found the Orohippus which takes the 
place of the Eohippus. Its size was about that of a sheep ; 
it had only four digits on the anterior limbs, and its last 
caducous molars met the persistent molars. In the Miocene 
deposits Mesohippus is met with, about the size of a wolf, 
with only three fingers on the anterior limbs, and a radius 
and ulna showing a commencing tendency to fusion. In 
the Upper Miocene occurs a fourth form, Miohippus , with 
three digits like the last form, but of the size of a Scotch 
pony ; it is perhaps the Anchitherium of Europe. In the 
Lower Pliocene is found the Protokippus , and in its upper 
layers Pliohippus. These two animals closely resemble the 
horse, but are only of the size of the ass. They have a single 
hoof, the median one which meets the earth; the two lateral 
ones are not used for support, and in the Pliohippus they are 
quite rudimentary. The Protohippus evidently corresponds 
to our Hipparion. Through these stages we arrive at 
Equus, whose lateral digits are represented by the rudi¬ 
mentary metatarsals and metacarpals; his size was less than 
that of existing horses. Such is the genealogical tree of the 
American horse, but we are absolutely ignorant of the reason 
why he disappeared from that continent.—( f II Zootechnico,’ 
April, 1879, B. B.) 
We need give no excuse for translating the above review 
verbatim. The valuable matter which it brings under our 
notice, and the insight it gives us into the state of profes¬ 
sional progress in Italy, will make us fully appreciate the 
valuable labours of Professor Cornevin. With regard to 
the last extract, we recognise in it an old acquaintance, for 
Professor Marsh’s researches long ago reached this country, 
but they are sufficiently valuable to be brought directly 
under the notice of veterinarians. His latest observations 
on our domestic animals bear reference to the horse, for he 
contributes to the current number of the American Journal 
of Science and of Arts, a paper on il Supernumerary Digits 
in the Horse.” He arrives at the conclusion that these 
differ in nature in different cases, sometimes being compar¬ 
able to the supernumerary digits which occasionally appear 
