University of Edinburgh Archive and Manuscript Collections

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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Irving writes that he has compared a horse skull at the Geological Museum with that of the Stortford skeleton and concludes that the former resembles the two skulls of Ewart's from Newstead. The skull was found in a brick yard in Melton Mowbray. Irving provides a table of comparative measurements for the Stortford and Melton Mowbray horse skulls.

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Dawson follows up his letter regarding the horned 'zebra' horse, which he has been told is now 'somewhere in France'. He has made arrangements for its head to be sent to him if it should die. He will shortly be in Edinburgh and wishes to see the horse skull Ewart mentions which seems to bear similar horn-like features. He will also bring some new pieces of Eoanthropus skull from near Piltdown for Ewart to see.

The letter is undated.

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Dawson encloses a photograph showing a horse, nicknamed 'Satan', which has two horn-like prominences on the frontal skull bones, as well as striped markings. Dawson has never come across this variation before and enquires whether Ewart can give him any similar examples.

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Clemens writes regarding Cockerell's arrangement to supply Ewart with some dun-coloured horses. Clemens is now ready to supply Ewart or Cockerell with any animal from his herds which might be useful for experimental purposes; he would also be happy to supply Ewart with skulls or other anatomical parts for analysis.

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Lankester writes that he would like to have the Sarawak horse's skull for the British Museum, as well as some Roman horses. He asks Ewart if he would give the Swiney lectures on 'the history and palaeontology of horses' or 'horses of the past and present', as Scharff has postponed giving them until the following year. Lankester states that he believes the preorbital depression in the modern horse's skull once held a gland.

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Lönnberg thanks Ewart and his wife for their hospitality to him during his recent visit and states that he is sending Ewart some papers on veterbrates which might be of interest to him. He describes a horse skull which has been dug up in Stockholm at the site of the Battle of Brunkeberg, fought between Denmark and Sweden in 1471.

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Duerst acknowledges receipt of Ewart's paper 'On skulls of horses from the Roman fort at Newstead' and states that he will send Ewart a copy of his own treatise on the animal remains from Anau when he has received it. He proposes that the desert horse from Anau must be the first domestic horse, or else the first desert or oriental horse.

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Beresford gives Ewart permission to measure the skull of 'Persimmon', which he says he can pass on to Rowland Ward. He remarks that ''Persimmon' was one of the best horses that ever lived, whether he was descended from a zebra or a Himalayan donkey'.

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Woodward writes that he and his colleagues at the British Museum (Natural History) have examined the equine skulls and found that the shape of the occipital condyles to be variable. The approximation of the condyles in the middle line is especially marked in Hipparion, although he is unable to explain this.