Anatomy and Physiology of the Mammary Gland. 97 



relatively deficient in oleaginous matters. Hence the practical 

 remark that ^'■quantity for cheese-making, and quality for butter" 

 is what we require. These two things are certainly sometimes 

 combined, as we see occasionally among Alderneys, and when 

 present we can only attribute it to a peculiarity of the organism 

 of the individual animal. This peculiarity, like many others, 

 may and indeed is very likely to prove hereditary, and as such 

 the calves of these animals should be selected for rearing. 



The goodness of milk for butter-making is frequently judged 

 of by its colour, preference being given to such as has a 

 yellowish hue. This, however, may be fallacious ; for thir 

 colour often depends on other causes ratiier than on an aug- 

 mentation of the proportion of oleaginous matter. An Alderney 

 is not unfrequently kept in a dairy, in order to give a greater 

 depth of colour to the butter. Her doing so is due to the 

 excess of yellow pigment which exists in her organism, and 

 which is cast out with the secretion of milk in common with 

 many other vital functions. She, indeed, may be abstractedly a 

 deficient butter-making animal, her milk not being rich in the 

 amount of its oleaginous materials. This augmentation of yellow 

 pigment belongs to the race ; it is a peculiarity attaching to their 

 organization, and cannot be explained by the physiologist with 

 any greater satisfaction than can the varied hues met with in man. 

 The fact of its belonging to the race proves it to be hereditary, 

 and its conveyance from parent to offspring is on a par with the 

 transmission in like manner of the capability of giving either a 

 large quantity, good quality, or both, ol milk. 



From what we have said it will be inferred that we look to 

 peculiarity of organization rather than to mere external develop- 

 ment as the cause of certain breeds of animals being good 

 milkers, and to a propagation of this in their natural in- 

 crease. In asserting this, we would not, hovt^ever, have it in- 

 ferred that we attach no importance to external conformation, 

 for we are well aware of its utility in judging of a milking 

 animal. Large mammary glands, possessing symmetrical propor- 

 tions, and a well-defined outline ; depth of flank, and well- 

 developed hind quarters, so as to give an appearance of smallness 

 to the chest, but which in reality is but comparative ; lull-sized 

 abdominal and other veins belonging to the udder ; neat head ; 

 bland countenance ; light neck ; little fat ; tliin, pliant, and 

 yellow skin ; sleek coat, &c. ; have all a value, as so many 

 indications of the animal's peculiarity of organization, and many 

 of these things are met with in the breeds we have named as the 

 chief of our milkers. 



2ndly, Partui'ition. — Taking for illustration a heifer in calf for 

 the first time, we observe that during the latter period ot 



VOL. XIX. II 



