In examining animals for soundness and especially the horse or dog, the condition of the eye must be made one of the most important subjects of inquiry, as a disease or defect may render the animal altogether unsuited to the object to which it is destined. As in every other field of diagnosis thoroughness is largely dependent on the adoption of a system which will stand in the way of any flaw being too hastily overlooked. Many of the points to be noted will be decided at a glance, yet this does not obviate the necessity of turning over in the mind, in succession, the different points of inquiry, and directing the necessary attention, however hastily, to each in turn. The following points should be observed: 1st. =Are the eyelids swollen, hypertrophied or faulty in form, position or movements.= Faults as thus indicated may imply any one of a great variety of disorders which should be followed out to their accurate diagnosis. It may be bruises, lacerations, punctures, parasites, conjunctivitis, keratitis, dropsy, anæmia, hepatic or intestinal parasitism, nephritis, paresis, entropion, ectropion, etc. 2d. =Inspect the cilia as regards form, size and direction.= Absence or wrong direction may imply disease of the Meibomian glands, infective inflammation, demodex or other acarian infesting, or turning in or out in inflammatory conditions. 3d. =See that the lachrymal puncta are open and that there is no overdistension of the sac.= The overflow of tears and the swelling of the caruncle and of the area beneath it will often indicate such trouble. In its turn it may imply inflammation of the duct, and obstruction by the tenacious muco-purulent product, or it may imply merely obstruction of its lower end by a dried scab. This last may be seen in the horse, on the floor of the false nostril at the line of junction of the skin and mucosa, and in the ass, higher up on the inner side of the ala nasi. In exceptional cases it may be desirable to pass a stilet through the canal from the puncta downward or from below upward to determine whether it is pervious.