CHAPTER XVI. 



FORM OF ANIMALS AS AN INDEX OF QUALITIES. 



THE constitutional tendencies and general charac- 

 teristics of animals may be ascertained, as we have 

 seen, with great certainty by a study of their ancestral 

 history. Any additional information in regard to the 

 details of the organization, which determine the quali- 

 ties that are of value in the economy of the farm, as 

 the disposition, nervous energy, muscular strengtli 

 and activity, quality of flesh, proportion of valuable 

 carcass, activity of the processes of nutrition, and 

 strength of constitution, must be gained through the 

 indications presented in the external form, that are 

 manifest to the sight and touch. 



Too little attention has been paid to the relations 

 existing between the external form of the animal and 

 its internal and more obscure characteristics, upon 

 which its value in a great measure depends. 



Every part of the external conformation should be 

 associated in the mind of the breeder with the corre- 

 lated peculiarities of structure that give the greatest 

 value to the animal for some particular purpose, and 

 thus serve as an index to the many important charac- 

 teristics that might otherwise escape attention. 



The eye should be trained to detect the slight 



