University of Edinburgh Archive and Manuscript Collections

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Photographs of a horse's hoof, the image on the right shows an extra digit caused by the splitting of the bone; and the image on the left shows a case of reversion to an ancestral form which is not caused by the splitting of the bone.

Scope and Contents Ewart writes that the examination of the skulls from the Roman fort near Melrose has proved that horses representing four distinct varieties or species were living under domestication during the first century. The Zoology Board of the Royal Society Government Grant Committee have started an investigation to ascertain the origins of various species of horse by examining bones and cross-breeding. Ewart requests Russell's financial help with meeting the costs of this investigation....

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Two photographs of the large bones below a horse's hocks from different angles and a photograph of good hocks and broad gaskins of a yearling T.B. filly.

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Photographs of two sets of hind legs of horses showing a large 'bone' below the hock.

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Irving mentions that he has been able to show that the formula for the 'coffin-bones' of prehistoric horses doesn't work. However, he does confirm that the metacarpals of the Stortford horse are identical with those of the 'pleistocene' horses of Ilford in the Thames Valley and Grantchester.

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Lankester writes that the box of Roman horse bones has arrived and asks Ewart to confirm what dates he will be giving his twelve Swiney lectures.

The year is not written on the letter.

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Robertson writes that he had come to the same conclusion as Ewart that a slender horse played an important part in the ancestry of the English thoroughbred. He has compared various fossilised remains and concluded that although the shaft of the central portion of the large metacarpal bone is broad, the shapes of the first three phalanger are indicative of a slender race. He makes several observations on the significance of the metacarpals.

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Duerst writes that he has molars from heavy horses but not from Westeregeln or Thiede, and recommends that Ewart contact Professor Dr Hesse. He has studied the skeleton of the Remagen horse only rapidly and believes it is possible that the metatarsel in question may belong to another specimen.

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Scharff provides notes relating to the measurements of the metacarpals and metatarsels from the centre of the provincial articular surface to the dorsal ridge of various prehistoric horses that have been uncovered in excavations.

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Scharff thanks Ewart for giving him his views on the metacarpals and provides some more measurements of various prehistoric horses that that have been uncovered in excavations.