ON THE AYESHIRE BliEED OF CATTLE. 137 



other; the skin thin and loose; hair soft and woolly; the head, 

 horns, and other parts of least value small, and the general figure 

 compact and well proportioned. There is to the present day 

 much dispute with regard to the origin of the Ayrshire cow. 



The following description from a report to the Ayrshire 

 Agricultural Association gives the points which indicate superior 

 quality in the Ayrshire dairy cows : — 



Head short, forehead w^de, nose fine between the muzzle and 

 eyes, muzzle moderately large, eyes full and lively, horns wide 

 set on, inclining upwards, and curving slightly inwards. 



Neck long and straight from the head to the top of tlie shoulder, 

 free from loose skin on the under side, fine at its junction 

 with the head, and the muscles symmetdcally enlarging towards 

 the shoulders. 



Shoulders thin at the top, brisket light, the whole forequarters 

 thin in front, and gradually increasing in depth and width back- 

 wards. 



Back short and straight, spine well-defined, especially at the 

 shoulder, the short ribs arched, the body deep at the flanks, and 

 the milk-veins well developed. 



Pelvis long, broad, and straight, hock-bones (ilium) wide 

 apart and not much overlaid with fat, thighs deep and broad, 

 tail long and slender and set on level with the back. 



Milk-vessels capacious and extending w^ell forward, hinder 

 part broad and firmly attached to the body, the sole or under 

 surface nearly level, the teats from two to two and a half inches 

 in length, equal in thickness, and hanging perpendicularly ; their 

 distance apart at the sides should be equal to about one-third of the 

 length of the vessel, and across to about one-half of the breadth. 



Legs short, the bones fine, and the joints firm. 



Skin soft and elastic, and covered with soft, close, woolly hair. 



The colours preferred are brown, or brown and white, the 

 colours being distinctly defined. 



Great value is attached to the above form and points by the 

 dairy farmer, and he quickly takes them in when effecting a 

 purchase, so that a mistake is rarely made. The following 

 ingenious versification of the points of an A}'Tshire cow are based 

 on a document published under the authority of the Ayrshire 

 Agricultural Association : — 



Would you know how to judge of a good AyrsLii'e cow] 



Attend to the lesson you'll hear from me now ; 



Her head should Ije short, and her muzzle good size ; 



Her nose should be fine between muzzle and eyes ; 



Her eyes full and lively ; forehead ample and wide ; 



Horns wide, looking up, and curved inwards beside ; 



Her neck should be a fine tapering wedge. 



And free from loose skin on the undermost edge ; 



Should be fine where 'tis joined with the seat of the brain ; 



Strong and straight upper line without hollow or mane ; 



