Fig. 32.—Frontal region of horse with frontal whorl (a); feather­ing (b); crest (c).

Fig. 32A.—Muscles of the fronto-nasal region of the horse.

Fig. 32A shows the muscles of the fronto-nasal region of the horse and the manner in which the skin of this central region is pulled upon in divergent and opposing directions, by a long muscle, called the Maxillaris, downwards and outwards, by a small thick muscle, the Corrugator, inwards, by a deeper and more oblique muscle, the Nasalis, downwards and inwards, and a little more remotely by the Temporal muscle, and the intrinsic muscles of the mobile ears. There are thus at least five muscles on each side, all pulling more or less against one another on this much-disturbed area of skin. The struggle has been long ago given up and a compromise arrived at which is registered in the frontal pattern.

Now if anyone doubts whether these comparatively small muscles act often or strongly enough to produce effects on the hair over them he need only consult Mr. Roger Pocock’s book to understand the story of this battle of small forces and its result on the hair.

Fig. 33.—Side view of horse, showing chief superficial muscles.

In his wild state the horse is dependent to a remarkable degree to his sense of smell for his safety from foes (Pocock), and very much less so on his sight. Indeed that writer says his range of good vision is about six yards. At that range his sight is of great value to him for protec­tion from certain of the dangers of his life, and we see in a domestic horse to-day the evidence of his past wild life by his rapid and keen glances at objects at the sides of the road, both when we ride and drive him. His corrugator muscle must be almost constantly in action. But his sense of smell is the sling and stone with which he encounters his Goliaths before they can get near him, and he ceaselessly expands and draws up his flexible nostrils employing his nasalis and his maxillaris for snuffing the air. He has also much useful protec­tion from his sense of hearing and we all know how those mobile ears of his are hardly ever at rest, pointing now forwards, now backwards, and again outwards, as he goes on his way. The degree of these movements is largely a matter of individual character and breeding. The case for a conflict of forces in this region is, I submit, fully made out, and it is easy to see that a radiating pattern of hair, such as there is in the simple whorl, is only the natural outcome of all this complex muscular action. The extension of the whorl upwards in the shape of a feathering which is sufficiently common, indicates that the struggle has been carried beyond the original battle-field by the muscles of the ears.