PAST AND PRESENT 
 
 IN THE 
 
 AMERICAN MUSEUM OF NATURAL 
 
 HISTORY 
 


 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
THE HORSE 
 
 PAST AND PRESENT 
 
 BY 
 
 HENRY F AIRFIELD OSBORN 
 
THE HORSE 
 
 IN THE 
 
 AMERICAN MUSEUM OF NATURAL 
 
 HISTORY AND IN THE 
 
 ZOOLOGICAL PARK 
 
 NEW YORK 
 
 THE IEVING PEESS 
 1913 
 
01 
 
THE HORSE: PAST AND PRESENT 
 
 In 1891 the American Museum began its long series of explorations 
 and studies upon the evolution of the horse. It now contains the 
 most complete collection of fossil horses in the world; also a very 
 remarkable collection of mounted skeletons and models of modern 
 horses, including both wild and domestic breeds. 
 
 The ancestry of the horse has been traced back through successive 
 stages represented by fossil skeletons to small progenitors with four 
 toes on the fore feet and three on the hind feet, with short-crowned, 
 simple teeth and small brain, but always possessed of great relative 
 speed. 
 
 What may be called the fossil breeds are found to be specialized as 
 are modern breeds into exceedingly swift running as well as into slow- 
 moving types, into giant horses exceeding the very largest existing 
 percherons, and into diminutive horses smaller even than the most 
 diminutive Shetland. The comparison of fossil and living types is 
 therefore most interesting and instructive. 
 
 An epitome of the transformation of the hind leg from the hock 
 joint down shows the gradual increase in size of the median hoof and 
 the consequent diminution of the side hoofs which are slowly raised 
 above the ground through a very long period, hanging at the sides as 
 dew claws but finally withdrawn up the sides of the cannon bone as 
 the " splints." 
 
 The first important step in this collection was in 1894 when the very 
 ancient four-toed horse of the Wind River mountains (Eohippus ven- 
 ticolus} was presented by Mr. Cornelius Vanderbilt and others. 
 
 In 1900-1903, three annual expeditions were fitted out on a gen- 
 erous scale especially to collect the ancestors of the horse; this was 
 
 284464 
 
through the gift of Mr. William C. Whitney, also a Trustee of the 
 Museum. These expeditions were successful in securing several com- 
 plete three-toed horses. 
 
 The direct ancestor of the modern horse is still to be discovered; it 
 is the one link still missing. The Museum is planning for continued 
 search in the West, especially in Texas, South Dakota, and Nebraska, 
 where it is hoped this link may be discovered. It is also preparing to 
 publish a full history of the horse from the earliest times to the present. 
 
 GENERAL CONTRIBUTORS 
 
 Among the present and former contributors to the American 
 Museum explorations and collections showing the history of this 
 noblest of living quadrupeds are the following: 
 
 CORNELIUS VANDERBILT . in the year . 1894 
 
 WILLIAM C. WHITNEY . in the years . 1900, 1902, 1903 
 
 HENRY FAIRFIELD OSBORN . " " . 1891-1912 
 
 ARTHUR CURTISS JAMES . " " . 1906, 1907 
 
 CLEVELAND H. DODGE . in the year . 1909 
 
 GEORGE J. GOULD . . in the years . 1906-1909 
 
 FRANK K. STURGIS . . 1907-1913 
 
 PERCY R. PYNE . . in the year . 1906 
 
 J. PIERPONT MORGAN . in the years . 1904-1913 
 donor of models, restorations and illustra- 
 tions of extinct horses. 
 
 [6] 
 
SPECIAL CONTRIBUTORS OF RECENT HORSES 
 
 JAMES R. KEENE .... in the year 1906 
 donor of the skeleton and cost of mount- 
 ing of "Sysonby." 
 
 RANDOLPH HUNTINGTON . . in the year 1904 
 donor of the skeleton of the Arab " Nimr." 
 
 His GRACE THE DUKE OF BEDFORD, in the year 1912 
 donor of the skeletons of two wild or Prze- 
 valski horses from his herd at Woburn, 
 England. 
 
 SIR WILFRED LAWSON BLUNT . in the year 1907 
 donor of skull of an Arab. 
 
 GEORGE EHRET .... in the year 1901 
 skeleton of the Draught Horse. 
 
 ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF NEW YORK 
 skeletons of Zebras and 
 Wild Asses . . in the years 1906, 1911, 1912 
 
 WARREN DELANO . . " " " 1912, 1913 
 
 Gift of a Norwegian Pony, and of a Hinny, or hybrid be- 
 tween stallion and ass. 
 
 The following persons have also contributed from time to time to 
 the growth of the collection: 
 
 WATSON B. DICKERMAN 
 E. B. SOUTHWICK 
 HOMER DAVENPORT 
 THOMAS F. WHITE COMPANY 
 GRANT STRINGER 
 
 [7] 
 
TYPES OF MODEKN HOKSES 
 
 The collection of types of modern horses is designed to show, first, 
 the highest standards produced by breeding; second, the mechanical 
 perfection of the skeleton of the horse in the various extremes of motion 
 and action, chiefly as studied through instantaneous photography. Mr. 
 S. H. Chubb has been in charge of the preparation of this series since 
 1901, and has reached a standard of truth and artistic perfection never 
 before attained. 
 
 The domesticated types which have already been completed or 
 planned are the following: 
 
 THE ARAB, SOURCE OF ALL THE THOROUGHBRED STOCK 
 THE REARING HORSE IN COMPARISON WITH THE SKELETON OF MAN 
 THE DRAUGHT HORSE IN THE ACT OF PULLING A HEAVY LOAD 
 THE RACE HORSE, TYPIFIED BY "SYSONBY" AT FULL SPEED 
 
 THE STANDIM; POSE, TYPIFIED BY A GIANT HORSE OF THE PERCH- 
 ERON BREED FROM OHIO, IN STANDING POSITION 
 
 THE GRAZIM; POSE, TYPIFIED BY THE DIMINUTIVE SHETLAND " HIGH- 
 LAND CHIEFTAIN" 
 
 THE TROTTING HORSE, TO BE REPRESENTED BY SUCH A TYPE AS "Lou 
 DILLON" 
 
 It is proposed to complete this series by the addition of mounted 
 skeletons of the following types of wild horses, asses, and zebras. 
 
 THE PRZEWALSKY HORSE, FROM THE DESERT OF GOBI, THE ONLY EXIST- 
 ING SPECIES OF WILD HORSE 
 
 THE GREVY'S ZEBRA, FROM ABYSSINIA 
 
 THE MOUNTAIN ZEBRA, FROM SOUTH AFRICA 
 
 THE BURCHELL OR GRANT ZEBRA, FROM CENTRAL AFRICA 
 
 THE WILD Ass (PROGENITOR OF THE DOMESTIC Ass), FROM ABYSSINIA 
 
 THE KIANG OR ASIATIC Ass, FROM CENTRAL ASIA 
 
 [8] 
 
THE ARAB 
 
 The Arab is famous both in itself and as the chief source from which 
 the English thoroughbred was derived through the "Byerley Turk" and 
 the "Barley Arabian." All the fineness and all the quality of modern 
 horses are derived from this ancestral Arab strain, although the thor- 
 oughbred was largely modified originally by crossing of other stocks. 
 
 ARABIAN STALLION ' v'l? 
 
 \ 
 
 IX POSE OF WATCHING A HEKD 
 
 
The skeleton of "Ximr" was presented by Mr. Randolph Hunting- 
 ton. Oyster Bay, L. I., February, 1904, and mounted by Mr. S. H. 
 Chubb in 1906. "Ximr 1 ' was a pure-bred Arabian stallion, sired by 
 the desert-bred Arabian " Kismet," a horse celebrated for an unbroken 
 record of victories as a race horse in India. The skeleton of "Kismet" 
 was preserved for some time by a New York veterinarian but was 
 unfortunately destroyed. 
 
 In the skeleton of the Arab both the head and tail are carried high 
 when the animal is animated, and in this mount of "Ximr" all the 
 special Aral) characters may be observed as follows: 
 
 1. Skull short, but broad between the eye sockets. 
 
 2. Kye sockets high and prominent, giving the eyes a wide range 
 of vision. 
 
 3. Facial profile, or forehead, concave. 
 
 4. Jaw slender in front, deep and wide set above the throat. 
 
 .">. Hound-ribbed chest, short back with only five [ribless or] lumbar 
 vertebra 1 , well " ribbed up." 
 
 6. A horizontally placed pelvis (a speed character) and a very 
 high tail region, with few tail vertebrae. 
 
 7. A complete shaft of the ulna, or small bone of the forearm. 
 
 8. Long and slender cannon bones, and long, sloping pasterns. 
 
 THK KKARIMJ HORSK IN COMPARISON WITH 
 THK SKKLKTOX OF MAX 
 
 The "breaking of the horse" by man about 15,000 years ago was 
 a turning point in human history, and the adoption of the horse as a 
 means of transportation, as an aid in agriculture, and as a fighting 
 animal in war, have been factors of the greatest importance in the 
 evolution of the human race. 
 
 This splendid mount is part of (he gift of t he lale William ( \ Whitney. 
 The mount is faithfully worked out from instantaneous photographs, 
 
 10 ' 
 
NecK 
 Vertebrae 
 
 Vertebrae 
 
 y'Finqer 
 
 -ELBOW 
 
 ANKLE 
 
 Comparison of the 
 BONES AND JOINTS 
 
 HORSE AND MAN. 
 
 THE BREAKING OF THE HORSE 
 
 SKELETON OF THE HORSE AND OF MAN PLACED IN A SIMILAR 
 POSITION FOR COMPARISON 
 
and is suggestive of the BREAKING AND TRAINING OF THE HORSE BY 
 MAN. The rearing action expresses unwilling subjection, and the posi- 
 tion of man as if holding a bridle of intelligent control. 
 
 These two skeletons are so mounted by Air. Chubb under Professor 
 Osborn's direction as to facilitate comparison of the horse skeleton and 
 the human skeleton, limb by limb, bone by bone. It will be observed 
 that the left fore foot of the horse and the left arm of the man are 
 extended forward and upward, while the right fore leg and the right 
 arm are bent. Similarly, the right hind leg of the horse may be 
 compared indirectly with the right leg of the man. 
 
 The human skeleton is that of a Prussian, selected for its fine pro- 
 portions and exceptional height. 
 
 This mount is one of the greatest educational value and interest in 
 the whole series. 
 
 THE RACE HORSE "SYSONBY' 
 
 "Sysonby" was one of America's most famous race horses. He was 
 foaled February 7, 1902, at Mr. James R. Keene's Castleton stud in 
 Kentucky, a few months after the importation from England of his 
 dam, "Optime," his sire being the English bred "Melton." His record 
 is one of the most brilliant in the history of American horse racing. 
 
 [12] 
 
He won a remarkable series of victories between his first race at 
 Brighton Beach, July 14, 1904, as a two-year old, and his untimely 
 death at four years (June 17, 1906). The skeleton and its mounting 
 was presented to the Museum by the late James R. Keene. 
 
 SKELETON OF SYSONBY," PRESENTED BY JAMES E. KEENE 
 
 BEING MOUNTED TO SHOW A PHASE IN THE 
 
 STRIDE OF THE E [INNING HORSE 
 
 This mount is based on studies by S. H. Chubb made from direct 
 observation and from the instantaneous photographs of Muybridge, 
 Hemment and Chubb. The position is that taken the moment after 
 the right fore foot has left the ground, and the right "knee," or carpus, 
 is beginning to bend; the succeeding foot-falls in order are the left 
 hind foot, the right hind foot, the left fore foot, and the right fore foot. 
 The full length of one complete stride is about 26 feet. 
 
 SYSONBY. Motion of the Hip and Shoulder and Limbs. At this 
 instant the hind quarters and limbs are lifted perceptibly higher than 
 the shoulders, and from a rear view it will be seen that while the hind 
 feet are thrust forward at this great height from the ground, they are 
 widely separated from each other so as to avoid striking the fore legs. 
 A moment later the shoulders will be lifted by the push of the fore foot 
 higher than the hind quarters, then the hind feet will move toward 
 the median line and strike the ground and the fore feet will move 
 forward out of the way of the hind. 
 
 [13] 
 
SYSONBY. Motion of the Back Bone. The back bone is slightly 
 arched to help draw together the fore and hind limbs and feet, and 
 thus lengthen the stride and bring the back muscles into play. When 
 viewed from above, the back bone is also observed to be curved a little 
 to the right, owing to the forward position of the left hand side of the 
 pelvis and of the left hind limb; this also lengthens and gives power 
 to the stride as the back bone is straightened. 
 
 THE DRAUGHT HORSE 
 
 The horse of the Percheron breed from which this mount was made 
 was presented to the Museum by Mr. George Ehret. The mounting- 
 was completed by Mr. S. H. Chubb in the laboratories of the Museum 
 in the year 1903, from his own photographs and studies supple- 
 mented by the famous works of Muybridge. In direct contrast to the 
 skeleton of "Sysonby, " this animal was mounted in order to show the 
 development of power and slow movement in the Percheron breed. 
 
 The skeleton has been so mounted as to show the position of the 
 bones when the animal is drawing a heavy load. The visitor will 
 imagine that the shoulders are thrust against a collar, upon which the 
 horse is pushing with all its energy. Note that the head and body are 
 
lowered, three of the feet are resting upon the ground. At the same 
 time the hind limbs are doing the greater amount of work, the fore 
 limbs acting chiefly as supports although entering into the thrust so 
 far as possible; a portion of the weight of the body has been thrown 
 into the collar. A feature which is not shown in this photograph is 
 the curvature of the backbone under the strain. 
 
 THE DRAUGHT HORSE IN ACTION 
 Mount, the Gift of William C. Whitney 
 
 GIANT DRAUGHT HORSE 
 
 The draught horse is derived from what is known as the Northern 
 or Forest stock, a type of wild horse quite distinct from that which 
 gave rise to the Arab and the Thoroughbred. The fertile fields and 
 limestone soil of Kansas have exerted the remarkable influence on 
 imported draught horses seen in the occasional appearance of giant 
 horses arising as "sports," too large and clumsy for economic service. 
 
 [15] 
 
This enormous animal may be contrasted with the most diminutive 
 breed of modern horses, namely, the Shetlands, from an example espe- 
 cially bred and dwarfed for diminutive size. 
 
 GIANT DRAUGHT HOUSE FROM OHIO AND 
 
 SHETLAND PONY OF SCOTLAND 
 
 These two skeletons, photographed together for purposes of com- 
 parison, show the extremes of size produced by breeding and the favor- 
 able or unfavorable action of climate which are to be compared with 
 the extremes of speed shown in the Race Horse and Draught Horse. 
 
 The contrasts in size are as follows: 
 
 GIANT DRAUGHT HORSE 
 
 Height at shoulders 6 ft. 1 in. (18J hands) 
 Weight in life 2,370 Ibs. 
 
 Bulk of femur (thigh-bone) 188 cu. in. 
 
 SHETLAND PONY 
 
 2 feet 9 in. (8 hands) 
 170 Ibs. 
 13J cu. in. 
 
The resting position chosen in 1909 for the mounting of the giant 
 Draught Horse is one of inaction and is designed to show the relaxa- 
 tion of the body and the mechanical interlocking of the knee-cap in 
 the left hind limb to release the muscles from the strain of the weight. 
 This peculiar function of the patella (knee-cap) is shown in the left 
 knee-joint, or stifle. While the joint is extended to support the ani- 
 mal's weight, the patella rests on the projecting process of the femur 
 so that the knee is locked in the extended position by a very strong 
 ligament which holds the patella a fixed distance from the tibia below, 
 thus sustaining the weight required of it with comparatively little 
 muscular exertion. Thus almost the entire weight of the hind quar- 
 ters is supported on the extended left leg, while the right hind leg rests 
 in a more flexed position and hangs perfectly lax. The pelvis also 
 seems to hang, as it were, from the left hip joint, tilting very much to 
 the right and twisting slightly the vertebral column. 
 
 SHETLAND IN GRAZING POSITION 
 
 This Shetland is a fully grown animal although the height at the 
 shoulders is only 33% inches. At the time the animal was purchased, in 
 June, 1902, in Scotland, through the kindness of Professor J. Cossar 
 Ewart of the University of Edinburgh, it was regarded as the most diminu- 
 tive Shetland pony which had been bred in Great Britain. Somewhat 
 smaller Shetlands have since been produced by selection and in-breeding. 
 
 The modern Shetland pony has been produced by careful selection 
 and breeding of a race of domestic or half wild horses originally dwarfed 
 by unfavorable surroundings, inhabiting the bleak and barren Shet- 
 land Islands, with their cold, damp climate and restricted range. The 
 Percheron, on the other hand, bred to the plow and cart in the rich and 
 fertile lands of Normandy, has been improved by favorable conditions 
 and by selection for size and strength, and is the largest of the domestic 
 breeds of horses; the Shetland being the smallest. 
 
 [17] 
 
SHETLAND PONY "HIGHLAND CHIEFTAIN" MOUNTED IN THE 
 
 GEAZING POSITION 
 This skeleton was presented by William C. Whitney in June, 1902. 
 
 This special study shows the position of the limbs of a horse in the 
 action of grazing. It will be seen that the downward reach of the head 
 and the slow, lax step, modify the position of almost every bone in the 
 body. The vertebral column is considerably arched in the dorsal 
 region, thus assisting in the downward curve of the neck and at the 
 same time tilting the angle of the pelvis a few degrees toward the per- 
 pendicular, increasing the length of the hind limbs and tilting the body 
 toward the head. The head being turned well to the right, there is 
 a very slight curve toward the left in the anterior portion of the dorsal 
 vertebrae, and a slight curve to the right in the lumbar vertebrae owing 
 to the backward position of the right hind foot. The weight of the body 
 falls on the right front and the left hind foot, bringing them both very 
 near the median line, and also modifying the position of the scapula 
 and elevating the left side of the pelvis. A little below the knee a very 
 small, hair-like bone may be seen, which represents the shaft of the 
 
 almost extinct fibula. 
 
 [IS | 
 
** , 
 
 Position Selected as Typical of the American Trotter, all four 
 feet raised from the ground 
 
 THREE MODELS OF THE HORSE IX ACTION 
 
 These models, executed by Erwin S. Christman, one of the Museum's 
 staff of artists, are designed to illustrate the action of the horse in the 
 various phases of the walk, the gallop, and the trot, the latter still 
 awaiting completion. The models are all to the same scale, of one 
 sixth natural size, so that a contrast is afforded both of the differences of 
 size and weight and the differences of proportion. 
 
 1. THE RACE HORSE "SYSONBY" 
 
 This model is designed upon an extremely careful study of the 
 skeletal action and is based upon absolute measurements of the differ- 
 ent limb segments. It represents one of the extreme phases of the run 
 in which three of the limbs are folded and the fourth, in this case the 
 right fore leg, has just left the ground. The artist was assisted by an 
 instantaneous photograph of "Sysonby" and the former owner of this 
 great racer, the late Mr. James R. Keene, pronounced the model an 
 
 [19] 
 
absolute likeness of "Sysonby" as he appeared at his highest speed. It 
 corrects several of the false traditions not only in regard to the limbs but 
 also in regard to the position of the head, which is never extended out 
 straight as represented in the old prints. 
 
 2. TWO PHASES OF THE GALLOP 
 
 In this representation of two phases of the gallop, by Mr. Erwin S. 
 ( 'Imstman, we have a study in which a more artistic effect is aimed at, 
 yet the scientific anatomic purpose is served by the fact that the two 
 horses represent what may be called the two extreme phases of the 
 gallop, in one of which three of the limbs are folded up underneath 
 the body, in the other of which three of the limbs are at their maximum 
 extension beyond the perpendicular of the body. 
 
 3. THE DRAUGHT HORSE 
 
 The draught horse similarly is a very careful study based upon the 
 skeleton of the draught horse in action. It represents the opposite 
 extreme of the " Sysonby " stride since three out of the four li-nbs are on 
 the ground and the fourth, the left hind leg, is just being raised in the 
 forward step. The head is extended forward as far as possible so as to 
 balance the weight, because the horse is pushing and also leaning his entire 
 weight against the collar so as to assist the muscles as much as possible. 
 
 I 20 
 
MODEL OF "SYSONBY" 
 
 TWO PHASES OF THE GALLOP 
 
 [21] 
 
THE FOSSIL SERIES 
 
 The horse from the very earliest geologic times, roughly estimated 
 at two and a half million years, all the period since the birth of the Rocky 
 Mountain system, has been the aristocrat among quadrupeds in point of 
 speed and delicacy and beauty of construction. This statement is 
 borne out by the comparison in the American Museum exhibitions of 
 the little coursing hound, the whippet, and the original four-toed horse, 
 in which the proportions of the different segments of the limbs are seen 
 to be strikingly similar; in fact, the Eohippus probably had a little more 
 speed, indicated in the elongate structure of its hind feet, than the 
 whippet. 
 
 SKULL OF MODERN HORSE AND MODEL OF EOHIPPUS 
 
 It is very difficult to realize the multiple structure of the foot and 
 the diminutive size of these very ancient horses until a life-size model 
 of one is placed beside the skull of a modern draught horse, when it is 
 
 [22 | 
 
observed that Eohippus and the skull are of about the same length; 
 
 also that one feature of equine evolution is a continuous increase in size. 
 
 This principle of continuous increase in size is graphically displayed 
 
 in the wonderful SERIES EOCENE TO OLIGOCENE representing 
 
 ~ff a ^~ 
 the first five or six stages in the evolution of the horse, where tm-ee 
 
 principles are at once apparent: first, increase in size; second, increase 
 in length and delicacy of limb; third, elongation of the limb below 
 the knee joint and hock joint; fourth, disappearance of the outer 
 hoofs, and concentration on the median hoof which now begins to 
 rapidly increase in size. 
 
 SKELETONS OF WHIPPETT AXD OF EOHIPPUS 
 
 These steps are wonderfully displayed in the series of horses begin- 
 ning with Eohippus on the left and ending with Mesohippus on the 
 right, representing a transformation which occupied perhaps a period 
 of eight hundred thousand to one million years, through natural proc- 
 esses of breeding and the increasingly severe competition of these 
 
 [ 23 ] 
 
animals with many carnivorous enemies. The Mesohippus is already 
 a superb mechanism, more delicate in its proportions than any modern 
 race horse and probably equal in fleetness for short distances. 
 
 
 .MOBIL Of FOMJLOIO H0m___ 
 
 SERIES EOCENE TO OLIGOCENE 
 
 Remains of hundreds of these animals are found in the beds of old 
 watercourses which traversed the region now politically divided into 
 South Dakota, Nebraska, Colorado, and Montana. The recapture of 
 a complete skeleton from these ancient watercourses and floodplain 
 basins is a very rare event. The rocks have, however, yielded to the 
 persistent search of the very able corps of explorers engaged in the 
 work, most of whom are natives of our Western States. Especially 
 we may mention James W. Gidley of South Dakota, who was in charge 
 of the Whitney explorations for three years, and Barnum Brown of 
 Kansas. Recently Mr. Walter Granger of Vermont has with great 
 success taken up the search in the Rockies for the oldest American 
 horses. These remains are generally found in a very fragmentary con- 
 dition; they have been repaired and set up by Mr. Adam Hermann, 
 
 head preparator, and his assistants. 
 
 [24] 
 
Nature has produced even more distinct breeds than those pro- 
 duced by man, or rather greater extremes of structure and of habit. 
 Thus very early in equine history among the race of Mesohippus the 
 so-called FOREST HORSE appeared. These horses browsed on shrubs 
 and soft plants rather than grazed, and seeking this kind of food in 
 soft and swampy ground are distinguished by broad, spreading feet 
 with three hoofs, and by short-crowned teeth resembling those of a 
 tapir. These animals lived for hundreds of thousands of years and 
 found their way even into western Asia. 
 
 SERIES EOCENE TO OLIGOCENE 
 
 In the other extreme is the high speed mechanism of the grazing 
 or DESERT HORSE which has limbs as finely drawn as those of the 
 existing Virginia deer and was undoubtedly an animal capable of very 
 high speed. This type is represented by Neohipparion whitneyi, or 
 " Whitney's New Hipparion," the name having been given in honor of 
 the late Mr. William C. Whitney. This is the most perfect skeleton of 
 a fossil horse ever discovered, so perfect in preservation that even the 
 cartilages of the ribs are fossilized and preserved as well as all the 
 
 [25] 
 
delicate vertebrae to the very tip of the tail. It was found near the 
 Rosebud Indian Agency by Mr. H. F. Wells of the Whitney expedition 
 sent out by the Museum in 1902, and was one of the finest products of 
 the whole series of explorations conducted under this fund. 
 
 The skeleton is that of a mare, as indicated by the small size of 
 the tusks. With the mare in the sandy deposit were found the skeletons 
 
 SKELETON AND BE8TOBATIOK OF THE FOREST HORSE 
 
 HTPOHIPPU8 
 
 [26] 
 
of four younger animals, 'obably colts which had sought refuge from 
 a sand or electric storm or cloudburst with the mare and were killed 
 and buried at the same time. The head is exceptionally large, the 
 teeth are long and highly effective for the grazing habit, while the limbs 
 are excessively light and delicate in proportion. 
 
 SKELETON AND RESTORATION OF THE DESERT HORSE 
 NEOHIPPARION WHITNEYI 
 
 [27] 
 
Neither of these types, the Forest, the Desert type, or the Hipparion, 
 are known to be directly ancestral to the true modern horse Equus, and 
 one of the gaps still remaining for our exploration is to discover the 
 immediate ancestors of the true horse. It has long been known that 
 wild horses of great variety covered our country long before the period 
 of the Spaniards and probably long before the period of the first appear- 
 ance of man. The natural causes of the extinction of these splendid 
 native races are still unknown. Not improbably these animals were 
 swept away by an epidemic. 
 
 EQUUS SCOTTT AND EOHIPPUS 
 First and last stages in the Evolution of the Horse in America 
 
 Up to the time of our exploration only fragments of these native horses 
 had been found, together with a single fragmentary skull. Thus one of 
 the most important discoveries made in the whole twenty-two years 
 of exploration was the finding of remains of a herd of true horses near 
 Rock Creek, Briscoe County, Texas, by James W. Gidley, of the 
 Museum expedition of 1899. The herd consisted of seven skeletons, 
 
 I 28 I 
 
most of which were nearly complete. Other skeletons have recently 
 been found as a remnant of the same herd. No other such complete 
 single find has ever been made in all the exploration , covering fifty 
 years, of our Western States and Territories. 
 
 SIDE VIEW OF HOCK JOINT 
 Showing conversion of Lateral Toes into Splints 
 
 The animal known as Scott's horse or Equus scotti, represents the 
 last stage in the evolution of the horse of North America just before 
 it became extinct in this country. It is in every respect a horse, 
 although a badly proportioned one, the head being large and the hip 
 girdle short and clumsy. It differs from the domestic horse in the 
 heavy, deep, zebra-like skull, compact body and smaller legs and feet. 
 Like the modern horse it has only a single hoof on the fore and hind 
 feet, while the side toes are represented by the " splints." 
 
 [29] 
 
THE WILD HORSES, ASSES, ZEBRAS 
 
 IN THE 
 
 ZOOLOGICAL PARK 
 
 The presence of a great Zoological Park in New York, under the 
 direction of the New York Zoological Society, will render possible in 
 future years the completion of the HISTORY OF THE HORSE through the 
 exhibition and study of all the wild living types. 
 
 A complete list of the wild equines now or very recently shown in the 
 Park, and the principal geographic range of each, is as follows: 
 
 WILD HORSES. 
 
 PRZEWALSKY HORSES, Equus przewalskii. DESERT OF GOBI, CENTRAL 
 ASIA. 
 
 WILD ASSES. 
 
 PERSIAN WILD Ass, Equus hemippus. DESERTS OF S. PERSIA, AND 
 ARABIA. 
 
 KIANG, Equus hemionus. N. ASIA; TRANS-BAIKAL REGION. 
 
 ZEBRAS. 
 
 GREVY ZEBRA, Equus grevyi. ABYSSINIA AND BR. E. AFRICA. 
 GRANT'S ZEBRA, Equus granti. BRITISH EAST AFRICA. 
 CHAPMAN ZEBRA, Equus burchelli chapmani. CENTRAL SOUTH AFRICA. 
 MOUNTAIN ZEBRA, Equus zebra. CAPE COLONY, S. AFRICA. 
 
 The Przewalsky Wild Horse, otherwise known as the Steppe horse, 
 and nearest relative of the domestic horse , is readily distinguished 
 from all modern domesticated breeds by the entire absence of the 
 forelock and by the fact that the mane rises along the neck like a crest 
 exactly as in the zebras and asses, and does not fall over on one side, as 
 in the domestic horse. The large head, rather short and truly horselike 
 
 [80] 
 
ears, small and inexpressive eyes, and light buff-colored muzzle are well 
 shown in Fig. 1. The body is uniformly colored, with a dark brown 
 dorsal stripe. Sometimes there are faint horizontal stripings on the 
 legs. 
 
 Another very distinctive feature, well shown in Fig. 1, is the short, 
 stiff hair on the upper portion of the tail, of buff or dun color, traversed 
 by the vertical stripe. There is a vast difference between the short, 
 smooth and rather handsome coat of these animals in summer and 
 the rough, shaggy coat of the winter, when a long beard appears be- 
 neath the jaws. 
 
 Fifi. 1. HERD OF PRZEWALSKY WILD HORSES IN ZOOLOGICAL PARK 
 
 The original stallion and mare to the left. The small colt, born June 8, 1912, is of 
 uniform buff color with a woolly coat. Photographed June 20, 1912 
 
 These animals were formerly widely spread over Europe, between 
 twenty and twenty-five thousand years ago. During the Ice Age, they 
 were among the favorite subjects of the cave men, who represented 
 them with extraordinary fidelity as to all the features we have men- 
 tioned, on the walls of the caves of the Pyrenees, and of Dorgogne and 
 northwestern Spain. Not one of these drawings shows a forelock, 
 
 [31] 
 
and it is remarkable how those 
 prehistoric artists portrayed 
 the rather dull eyes in con- 
 trast with the fierce expres- 
 sion they gave the eyes of 
 the bison. 
 
 The general dun or light- 
 brownish color of the Prze- 
 walsky horses conforms to 
 their semi-desert environ- 
 ment, rendering them less 
 conspicuous, like the now 
 
 FIG. 2. THE KIANG, OR WILD ASS 
 OF THIBET 
 
 extinct quagga of the Zebra From photograph by the Duchess of Bedford. 
 
 c ! i , f i made in Woburn Park 
 
 family, which formerly 
 
 roamed the open plains south 
 of the Limpopo River in the 
 Transvaal, South Africa. 
 
 But the closest imitation of 
 the wild horse is in the wild 
 ass (Fig. 2) from the Trans- 
 Baikal of Asia, known as the 
 Kiang, a specimen of which 
 was presented to the Society 
 by His Grace the Duke of 
 Bedford. The light under- 
 color of the belly of the wild 
 horse is also seen in the wild 
 ass of Southern Asia (Fig. 3) 
 which has a much lighter 
 color scheme than that of the 
 Its limbs are 
 of being 
 
 FIG. 3. THE PERSIAN WILD ASS 
 Equus hemippux 
 
 Uniform Isabella, or fawn color, with dark 
 dorsal stripe, light colored and slender limbs, 
 light under color and dark erect mane. This Przewalsky. 
 animal differs from the Abyssinian ass, the 
 progenitor of the domesticated asses, in the 
 absence of the shoulder stripes. dark. It shows, too, the dark, 
 
 [ 32 ] 
 
FIG. 4. THE PRINCE OF THE ZEBRA FAMILY, Equus grevyi 
 From photograph by Sanborn, in the Zoological Park 
 
 erect mane and black stripe down the back. In fact, this black stripe 
 down the back so well shown also in the back view of the Grevy 
 Zebra (Fig. 5), is the most universal of all the color markings in the 
 family of horses. 
 
 It is difficult to conjecture what advantage this dark brown or black 
 line brings to the animal. In all the accompanying photographs it 
 appears to shade off into the background. 
 
 The very brilliant dark-brown stripes of the Grevy zebra, shown in 
 Fig. 4, certainly tend to make the animal very conspicuous as seen in 
 its yard; but from certain points of view, such as that of Fig. 4, where 
 the sunshine glances off the glistening hair, the white and brown stripes 
 on certain regions of the body entirely disappear. Those who strongly 
 believe in the color protection theory truly point out that in certain sur- 
 roundings this most brilliantly marked of all the mammalia almost 
 
disappears from human vision. I myself have seen a small herd of 
 Grevy Zebras standing under a tree in the Duke of Bedford's Park, 
 Woburn Abbey, with the sunshine glistening down on them against a 
 light background, become almost invisible. The vanishing effect is 
 only transitory, however, and from other points of view they again be- 
 come conspicuous. 
 
 The Grevy is readily distinguished as the largest of the zebras. It is 
 characterized by delicate striping, a very long head, and very large, 
 
 rounded ears, like those of 
 many other forest-loving ani- 
 mals. Its narrow striping 
 contrasts very strongly with 
 the broad and brilliant stripes 
 of the Grant zebra, which, 
 as shown in Fig. 6, so com- 
 pletely surround the body 
 that they unite with a black 
 line extending along the under 
 surface of the belly. Grant's 
 zebra, like the Grevy, has a 
 very conspicuous set of hori- 
 zontal stripes extending down 
 the legs to the hoofs, and is 
 thus readily distinguished 
 from the Chapman zebra in 
 which the lower portion of 
 the leg is quite pale. 
 
 The Grant Zebra is typical of a very large group entirely distinct 
 from the Grevy and Mountain zebras. It is broadly known as the 
 Burchell group, the type of which was the zebra found and described by 
 the English explorer Burchell north of the Orange River, which roamed 
 north of that stream as the Quagga roamed to the south. In the 
 typical Burchell zebra (E. burchelli, now believed to be almost extinct) 
 
 [34] 
 
 FKS. .->. THE GREVY ZEBRA, FROM 
 ABYSSINIA 
 
 Distinguished by sharply defined and very 
 numerous narrow white, and dark chocolate 
 stripes, and by a very heavy dorsal stripe 
 which is continued down the center of the tail. 
 
FIG. 6. THE ACCLIMATIZATION OF THE GRANT ZEBKA, J0gfMM* 
 
 Mare, and foal born July 17, 1911. The mare shows the black muzzle, dia- 
 mond shaped pattern of the star on the forehead, black, erect mane, which extends 
 back into the thin dorsal stripe and broad gridiron over the hips. The slender 
 limbs of the zebra colt have nearly the same length as the limbs of the mother, 
 although the body is very much shorter. This enables the colt to keep pace with 
 its mother in escaping the attacks of the lion, the chief enemy of the Grant zebra. 
 From photograph by Sanborn, in the Zoological Park 
 
 the entire legs are devoid of stripes, so that the zebras of the Burchell 
 group from the Grant zebra on the extreme north of British East 
 Africa to the extinct Quagga of the Cape of Good Hope region, once 
 presented a complete color transition from the universal striping in 
 the North to striping confined to the shoulders and anterior portion of 
 the trunk in the Quagga of the South. This fading out of the stripes, 
 which affords a color transition between these brilliantly marked 
 animals and the apparently monotonous color of the Przewalsky horse, 
 affords strong ground for believing that all the horses were originally 
 
 [35] 
 
FIG. 7. THE EXTREMELY RARE MOUNTAIN ZEBRA, Eqmts zebra 
 
 striped. This belief is strengthened by the fact that reversional 
 striping occurs in all the dun colored horses on the face, the limbs, and 
 the shoulders, while the medium back stripe is found in the duns, bays 
 and browns among the horses. 
 
 The Mountain Zebra (Fig. 7) is the rarest animal in our entire col- 
 lection, because it is now extinct throughout a large part of its former 
 range and is carefully protected by the South African government in 
 its remaining mountain fastnesses. Like the Grant zebra, its color 
 bands are very broad and comparatively few in number, but it possesses 
 a broad gridiron of transverse stripes over the hips, which is only 
 partially developed in the Grant. Other characteristic features are its 
 short head, very long ears, the distinct lap or loose fold in the under 
 
skin of the neck, and the very short, heavily-built limbs which adapt it 
 to its mountain habitat. 
 
 The call of the Mountain Zebra is between that of the horse and the 
 ass, and usually consists of three short, barking whinnies in quick suc- 
 cession. The note is uttered with great gusto, and the position as- 
 sumed during the call is more like that of a horse than of the ass, which 
 while braying stands quietly with the head up and the ears pricked 
 forward. The disposition of the Mountain Zebra is generally vicious, 
 whereas the Grant zebra is much more docile and capable of domesti- 
 cation. 
 
 It is interesting to note that although the zebras were well known 
 to the Romans, this true or Mountain Zebra was the first of this group 
 to be described by Linnaeus, as Equus zebra, from the figure in Edward's 
 " Gleanings of Natural History. " The Grevy zebra on the other hand, 
 occupying the heart of Abyssinia, was the last of this great group to be 
 discovered, not having been made known to science until 1882, when a 
 specimen was presented to President Grevy of the French Republic, in 
 whose honor the new species was named. 
 
 FINIS 
 
 [37] 
 

 
 
 
 
 
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