EXPLORATIONS IN TURKESTAN

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THE BONES OF THE EXTREMITIES.
419
the first to explain, in a manner as plausible as it was scientific and accurate, the
cause of the difference of form of these bones. According to him, the slenderness
or thickness of this bone is traceable back to mechanical effects of use, aided naturally
by nourishment and climate.* According to the view we have already
developed in our special instance of the Anau horse the increasing slenderness of
the bones, as the culture-strata grow in height, must be traced back to the increase
of desert conditions and the use of the animal for rapid work. It is encouraging
and confirmatory of our separate conceptions that our conclusions so agree, although
so differently deduced.
On account of the special importance of this bone I repeat here all its dimensions
in comparison with a series of other horses of European localities.
Ossa metacarpi medii.
Table of dimensions.
Length.
GreaExteest.rior
side.
Anau:mm.
mm.
- 21 ft ............ ........... 228 220
-- I5 ft ......................
+ 8 ft........................
+ 33 ft ................... .... 220
Gross Czernosek (La Tene)......... 198 192
Hostomitz (bronze time) ........... 200 191
Stankowitz (La Tene) .............. 206
Couvres (?)....................... 214 ....
Curchy (?)................. 216 ....
Louvern6 neolithic (?) ............. 217
Cindr6 (paleolithic)................. 219 ....
Fouvent (neolithic) ............... 217 ....
Equus przewalskii Salenski ......... 215 206
Equus przewalskii juv. Bern, Kraem
er .......................... 204 ....
Solutr6, Bern ..................... 218 211
Wohontsch a. Biela (neolithic).. .... 220
213
Leitmeritz, A. (neolithic) ........... 223 213
c 220 210
Solutre, Bern ................... 220 2
224 214
Schlossberg (iron age) .............. 222 213
Vindonissa:
Amphitheater ................. 226 218
Amphitheater ................. 227 219
Castrum ...................... 228 217
Castrum....................... 230 220
Castrum ....................... 230 220
Castrum ................... 230 221
Westeregeln, Nehring (diluvial)......235 225
Rixdorf, Nehring (diluvial)......... 249 ....
----- L--- -
Proximal
part.
mm.
47
44
44
46
46
54
48
50
60
52
48
49
49
44
50
50
49
47
49
50
49
52
48
57
59
Width.
Median.
mm.
31
30
30
30
29
35
32
32
37
32
33
31
30
33
32
33
31
31
33
36
33
32
In;nns^-
IttmllllCtrI.
mm.
22
24
21
28
21
29
27
28
29
27
I...
25
21
22
25
23
27
21
23
23
22
23
22
56
Dis-
mm.
29
mm.
42
41
31
27
27
29
30
34
44
40
42
45
46
50
39 50
38 50
42
40
32
50
50
44
29
35
31
l 48
46
31 3G I 1 47
36 48
35
34
47
I 49
30 ! 43
32 47
32
30
47
48
32 49
32 49
41 55
44
4__
tal.
Proximal.
Median.
Distal.
mm.
32
30
32
28
31
34
34
38
32-
28
32
32
36
33
32
37
33
33
31
35
35
34
35
35
. .. .
I Index.
12.8
12.3
13.6
14.5
14.0
15 8
18.0
17.7
19.2
18.4
14.8
14.2
i6.o
14 .
13.9
i6.3
15 6
15 3
13.2
14.o
13.4
134
13 4
17.4
17.6
This comparative table shows distinctly the relation already noticed in the
bones of the other extremities, that the horse of Anau agrees remarkably well with
those of the European bronze age and of the later La Tene phase of the iron age.
It shows, however, further, that among the horses of Solutr6 there occur adult
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1
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*H. Kraemer, Zur Frage der Knochenstarke der Pferde.
Nos. 28 and 31.
Deutsche Landw. Tierzucht, 1904, viI,