112 AMERICAN CATTLE. 



" 'Head small, but rather long and narrow at the muzzle; the 

 eye small, but smart and lively ; the horns small, clear, crooked, 

 and their roots at considerable distance from each other; neck 

 long and slender, tapering towards the head, with no loose skin 

 below ; shoulders thin ; fore-quarters light ; hind-quarters large ; 

 lack straight, broad behind, the joints rather loose and open ; 

 carcass deep, and pelvis capacious, and wide over the hips, with 

 round fleshy buttocks.* Tail long and small; legs small and 

 short, with firm joints; udder capacious, broad and square, 

 stretching forward, and neither fleshy, low hung nor loose ; the 

 milk veins large and prominent; teats short, all pointing outwards, 

 and at considerable distance from each other; skin thin and 

 loose; hair soft and woolly. The head, bones, horns^ and all 

 parts of least value, small ; and the general figure compact and 

 well proportioned.' 



"Mr. Aiton also informs us, that ' the Ayrshire farmers prefer 

 their dairy-bulls, according to the feminine aspect of their heads 

 and necks ; and wish them not round behind, but broad at the 

 hook-bones and hips, and full in the flanks. 



" 'The qualities of a cow are of great importance. Tameness 

 and docility of temper greatly enhance the value of a milk cow. 

 Some degree of hardiness, a sound constitution, and a moderate 

 degree of life and spirits, are qualities to be wished for in a dairy 

 cow, and what those of Ayrshire generally possess. The most 

 valuable quality which a. dairy cow can possess, is, that she yields 

 much milk, and that of an oily or butyraceous, or caseous nature, 

 and that after she has yielded very large quantities of milk for 

 several years, she shall be as valuable for beef as any other 

 breed of cows known ; her fat shall be much more mixed through 

 the whole flesh, and she shall fatten faster than any other.'" 



" * Mr. Rankine very properly remarks, that, ' compared with other improved 

 breeds, the thighs, or what is called the twist of the Ayrshire cow, are thin. She 

 i*, characteristic-ally, not a. fleshy animal.' " 



