226 BEGINNINGS IN ANIMAL HUSBANDRY 



type are more phlegmatic and less nervous than those of more 

 muscular build. Draft horses, beef cattle, mutton sheep, 

 and lard hogs all show to a certain extent this relationship 

 of form to temperament, (e) Speed is a striking feature of the 

 horse of light and muscular conformation. A study of the 

 pedigrees of running horses prominent today will in many 

 cases show lines of descent from the Darley Arabian, with 

 long lists of celebrated racers in between, covering the period 

 of over a century. In the same way, the record of inherited 

 speed of the American trotter may be traced in a most inter- 

 esting way, from the present back some 75 years to old 

 imported Bellfounder, the sire of the dam of Hambletonian 

 10, the most noted speed sire in the history of America. 



Peculiar or interesting characters are also transmitted 

 from one generation to another. We are usually most 

 impressed with the commonest things in animal inheritance, 

 yet there are remarkable characteristics that are well worth 

 attention, and such as demand consideration from the 

 thoughtful stockman. Usually these are valued as breed 

 features, yet in themselves they have no useful attributes. 

 Some examples of these are the following : The solid hoof in 

 the hog is a rare occurrence, except with one breed, the Mule 

 Foot. This characteristic is of no special value, but it has 

 been made the subject of much publicity, and many persons 

 from curiosity have purchased specimens of Mule Foot hogs. 

 A pug-nosed, dished face is a distinct feature of the Small 

 Yorkshire breed of swine. Often these pigs are bred so that 

 the lower jaw projects with an upward curve beyond the 

 short, dished upper jaw, seriously affecting ease of eating. 

 Berkshire breeders in America in late years have also had a 

 tendency to breed these very short, turned-up faces. Such 

 heads are monstrosities, in the same class with those of bull 

 dogs and Boston terriers. Five toes on each foot are found 



