230 NEW ZEALAND NATURE-STUDY BOOK 
towards the muzzle, and its neck is long and arched. 
Its legs are strong and tapering, each ending in one solid 
piece, othe hoof. The skin is thick and covered with short 
hair, generally of uniform colour. The tail up to the root 
is furnished with long hair, and the upper edge of the 
neck supports a long 
flowing mane. There 
is also a growth of hair 
on the lower back sur- 
face of the legs. The 
ears are short and erect, 
and the eyes are placed 
at the sides of the head. 
= The long head, with 
Fig. 130,—The Horse. its enormous mouth, 
is carried by the elon- 
gated neck arched on its upper side, and gradually getting 
thinner from the body to its junction with the skull. 
The length of the neck enables the animal to graze with 
ease, and also to command a wide view over its feeding 
ground. 
The lips are thin and flexible and exceedingly useful in 
gathering food. This may be seen by the way a horse 
pulls hay from the manger- 
box or sweeps together 
the grass before biting 
through the stems. 
The teeth evidently 
belong to a_ plant-eater. 
Each jaw carries six in- 
cisors in front, and twelve 
molars at the back, six 
on each side. Between . 
the incisors and molars, Fig. 131.—Skull of Horse. 
