TRANSACTIONS. 251 



by local circumstances, a differenco of opinion may exist 

 among judges of lean stock. 



Now, what are those points of an ox, a thorough knowl- 

 edge of which is so essential to constitute a perfect judge ? 

 Could they be described and illustrated with such precision 

 as that they might be applied at once to every ox, in what- 

 ercr condition he might be, a great advancement would bo 

 made towards establishing fixed rules for the right iudn^ing 

 of all the domestic animals. Fortunately, nature has her- 

 self furnished rules for ascertaining points for judgment, a 

 knowledge of which can nevertheless be only acquired by 

 careful observation and long and constant practice. 



The first point to be ascertained in examining an ox is 

 the purity of its breed, whatever that breed may be, which 

 may be ascertained from several marks. The color or col- 

 ors of the skin of a pure breed of cattle, whatever those 

 colors are, are always definite. The color of the bald skin 

 on the nose and around the eyes, is always definite, and 

 without spots. This last is an essential point. When 

 horns exist, they should be smooth, small, tapering, and 

 sharp-pointed, long or short, according to the breed, and of 

 a light color throughout in some breeds, and tipped with 

 black in others. The shape of the horn, however, is a less 

 essential point than the color. 



The second point to be ascertained in an ox is the form 

 of its carcass. It is found that the nearer the section of 

 the frame of a/a^ ox, taken longitudinally vertical, trans- 

 versely vertical, and horizontally, approaches to the figure 

 of a parallelogram, the gi-eatcr quantity of flesh will it carry 

 within the same measurement. That the carcass may fill 

 up the parallelogram as well as its rounded form is capable 

 of filling up a right-angled figure, it should possess the fol- 

 lowing configuration : The back should be straight from the 

 top of the shoulder to the tail. The tail should fall per- 

 pendicularly from the line of the back. The buttocks and 

 " twist" should be well filled out. The brisket should pro- 



