ANIMAL FORM AN INDEX OF QUALITIES. 371 



skin, and there must be no superfluous flesh, on other 

 parts of the head and face to give the animal a heavy- 

 headed appearance. These peculiarities in the head 

 and face are an indication of fine bones in the general 

 skeleton, and the qualities that are usually associated 

 with them. The eye, when prominent, bright, and 

 clear, with a mild and gentle expression, is an indica- 

 tion of health, with a quiet disposition and good feed- 

 ing quality. If the eye is dull and sunken, the capil- 

 lary circulation will be defective, and the functions of 

 nutrition imperfectly performed ; and there will not 

 only be a deficiency in the ability to fatten, but a lack 

 of strength and constitutional vigor. A restless and 

 wild expression of the eye indicates a predominance 

 of nervous action and an unquiet disposition that is 

 not compatible with good feeding quality. 



The ear should be large, without coarseness and 

 not drooping, but with sufficient action to give a pleas- 

 ing expression. 



A drooping ear, with a general dull expression of 

 countenance, is an indication of defective nutrition 

 and a lack of constitutional vigor. 



The horns of animals are generally supposed to be 

 of no value, aside from their influence upon the gen- 

 eral expression, which is considered a matter of fancy 

 only. 



Each breed has peculiarities in the size and form 

 of the horns that are, within certain limits, character- 

 istic ; and individual breeders will choose those modi- 

 fications of the general type that best accord with 

 their ideas of beauty. 



Notwithstanding these admissible variations in gen- 



