FARMS. 93 



of the mountain's side. Their color varies from black to black 

 and white, brindled and red ; but clear black is preferred as 

 indicating the nearest affinity with the original type. I hardly 

 know how to estimate the weight of these cattle, as they are 

 so different from any others I have been acquainted with. 

 The two-year old heifers which I bought for Mr. Austin, — rather 

 larger of their age than the average of the breed, — girted from 

 four feet, live inches, to four feet, six inches. They are large- 

 bodied in proportion to their height, their legs being short and 

 the shank bones very small. Their heads are generally hand- 

 some, and the countenance lively, but with a mild expression. 

 The best of them are decidedly pretty. When taken to the 

 low country and supplied with plenty of nutritious food, they 

 become more bulky ; but I had no opportunity to see what 

 would be the effect of breeding them for several generations in 

 a milder climate and on a better soil. As illustrative of their 

 hardiness, I will mention an incident. A man led me up a 

 mountain glen to see a lot of three-year old heifers he had 

 grazing there. It appeared a mystery to me how the cattle 

 could get over and around the rough rocks, and obtain a 

 subsistence even in summer. Having noticed that the man 

 had several stacks of hay down in the valley, where was the 

 rude habitation which he called his home, I asked him if he 

 was going to take the Kerry cattle there for winter. He 

 replied, ' No ; the hay is for the low land cattle and ponies ; 

 the Kerries will winter where they are.' I asked him if deep 

 snows did not fall in the mountains. He said they did some- 

 times, ' but the snow generally softened after a day or two, and 

 the cattle ivould work throusrh it.' 



" I could not obtain any definite statements in regard to the 

 yield of milk or butter of these cows ; but a reliable man who 

 kept several of this breed, near Killarney, told me he had often 

 had them give ten imperial quarts of milk, per day, each, and 

 then had a four-year old cow, which I saw, that had afforded 

 six pounds of butter in a week. 



" The butter I have eaten in this part of Ireland, both this 

 season and the last, is actually the best I ever tasted. I know 

 not whether the superior quality is attributable to the cows, 

 the herbage, or the mode of manufacture, or all combined. 



