there are, on each side, two small rudimentary
bones, which represent two lateral toes.
The teeth are thus arranged: inc. 66; can. 1—11—1;
mol. 7—76—6;=42. The incisors, during youth, have
their crowns furrowed with a groove; the molars
have square crowns, marked with four crescents of
enamel, the ends of the laminæ which penetrate
them. The canines are developed only in the male
sex: between them and the first molar, there is
a broad open space, admitting the operation of the
bit, with which man governs these powerful and
useful animals in a state of discipline. The
stomach is simple, and incapable of rumination,
but as the natural food consists exclusively of
herbage, the intestines are greatly lengthened, to
permit a more perfect extraction of the nutrition
contained in it. One young one, called a foal, is
ordinarily produced at a birth, which is suckled
during six or seven months: the mammæ of the
female are situated between the posterior limbs.
Africa and Asia are the native regions of the
animals of this family; which, associating in numerous herds, range over the vast plains and tablelands, which are unincumbered with forests. Two
species, however, the Horse and the Ass of domestication, have been widely dispersed over the earth by man.
Genus Equus. (Linn.)
The few species, (not exceeding ten,) which are known to belong to the family under consideration, have so many characters in common, that many zoologists of high reputation consider them as constituting but one genus. Mr. Gray, how-
