Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1890-07-10
WONDERS OF NATURE.
THE sTRANeEsT AND BEST PROOF.
AND PRODUCT or EVOLUTION. =

ginatsd In Ameriea-How 10 Developed
60 the Present H0rse-A Grand Gather
ing Of all the Breeds and Varieties ef
Horses, Etc.
The doctrine OF evolution Is now univer-
sally accepted by the learned world as re-
CARDS the production of families OF ami
mails, II not Of species. Among the most
striking evidences Of the truth OF the evo-
luton theory Is the horse. Let US state
some interesting facts OF his history.
Il is now conceded that the horse origin
ated on the American continent, and
thence spread all over the world. But few
could recognize the original horse II We
could see him. He was an animal not
much larger than a common fox, with only
the rudiments Of q mane-short hairs that
bristled along the top of his neck-a bob
and comparatively short haired tail. His
body was thick and sturdy. His feeS were
each divided into five long and widely
spreading toes like fingers, each with Q
thick, horny claw at its tip. He inhabited
Great shallow marshes, near the present
base Of the Rocky Mountains, which were
then lust heaving their heads above the
universal ocean. The habitation OF the
horse being marshy, over which the sea
tide ebbed and flowed, he lived upon
coarse grasses and herbs. His widespread
ing toes enabled him to walk upon the
grassy tufts and hammocks that showed
above the water, and to get over bogs
without sinking, and thus escape from his
foes. So he grew and multiplied.
NATURE Is A GREAT INVENTOR.
She Is very like q human inventor.
When she created the original horse, or
cat. or wild OK, they were no more like the
horses. eats end oxen of to-day than the
first crude steam engine is like the modern
locomotive. But the first horse was q
crude success. The principle was there,
and the patent q good thing. 80 nature
went to work making improvements from
time to time, as the environment-the
habitat, food, climate and habits OF the
horse-changed. The mountains and conti-
uent rose; the sea reeeded; the marshes
dried up; the climate changed slowly,
through how many centuries conjecture
hesitates to guess. The coarse marsh
grains and herbs became finer, jucier and
richer. Forests grew. The horses enemies
became different also. Gradually, there
fore. he had little and thus no use for his
long hind toe, which projected from above
the rest It became first limb appendage;
thus it shrunk in length and size; finally
&c disappeared completely, except bare
rudiment, now only to be found by the
skillfuI auatomist. The claws or nails Of
the other toes thickened and enlarged, as
the horse now walked upon firm earth OF
ground His body grew larger and more
graceful, as his food was richer. His speed
Increased, as he now had to escape his foes
partly over fair running ground. ~.
So the change went on for many more
centuries. Having less and less use fol
his still spreading toes, they shortened and
thickened slowly. BY and by
TWO OF THEM BECAME JOINED IN ONE.
The nails became more like hoofs, ant
now there was the three-toed horse. h'
was about as large as good common
sheep of to-day, and still stocky, but mucl
feeter than his grandfathers. His man'
had grown into thick, hairy ridge. ant
his tail hairs had heightened. Now h
began to speed marvelously.
Again period Of centuries. Now tn
earth was clothed with rich meadow
grasses, or sayannahs, generaily oearlni
dry berries. Climate had changed also
The horse now had to travel and feed o.
dry, sandy, gravelly and sometimes rock
Rround. He had to fly from olives an
other feet enemies. His legs grew Longer
his proportions simmer, but larger; hi
toes shortened still more, and his hoof
thickened BY and by his smallest to
Joined its next neighbor He was now
THE Two-ToED HORSE,
With a cleft hoof like the deer, the sheer
the hog and the OK, and as large as th
wonderful little mite of fairy pony ths
Won will see at one Of the rare attraction
ak the great Detroit Exposition this yea
But he wasn't as handsome as the midgt
Douy-bless youl No. His name and To
were still thick, short and coarse. II
body was still comparatively stumpy. Bt
he was real, genuine, no-mistake hors
But now for another cycle OF centuri'
the horse went on changing. He foTsoc
the morasses and marshes. He preferrt
the dry, hard, plains and prairies, the 70
ests and the mountains. The china
made him acquainted with snow and ic
&c well as summer heats. Evidently b
split hoofs were disadvantage. Pebbl
got into their clefts and clogged ther
So they slowly closed up; the horny no
grew. and presently there was the sing
booted horse, as he is to-day. He was
THE WILD HORSE, HUNTED By PRE-HlsToR
MAN.
i'm heather Asia and in Europe for foo
like other wild animals. His CHAIR
bones are found in caves where the wi
mantle aboriginal savage--dwelt. st
the first wild horses were small, shage
rough-maned and rough-tailed poni'
They were feet, cunning and bold, as th
should have been, having the future befC
them, And in favorable climates a
countries they grew In size and beau
until their names and tails spread Il
shining silk to the free winds OF the plail
o. they became feet, strong and beauttf'
with their necks clothed with thunde
as mentioned in the Holy Writ.
For now. In some unknown country,
some unknown race. man interfered a