CATTLE, 371 



rather than breeding. They do not constitute a race, breed, 

 or family, the qualities of which are inherent, uniform, 

 well established, and capable of being transmitted to their 

 progeny. 



Many peculiarities, when once established in the animal sys- 

 tem, become hereditary or readily transmissible from the parent 

 to the offspring, and hence the natural foundation of races and 

 breeds, or families. The term race, in domesticated and other 

 animals, applies only to those of the same species, possessing, 

 besides the general characteristics of that species other pecu- 

 liarities, which they owe to local circumstances to which they 

 have long been subjected, and which they transmit with cer- 

 tainty to their progeny; and it is essential to the idea of a race 

 that it shall liave possessed these characteristics from a time 

 " whereof the memory of man runneth not to the contrary," 

 that is, beyond the limits of authentic records. 



The term ^mJ, on the other hand, applies to a family of animals 

 built up by a long course of careful selection till certain desired 

 qualities became fixed, capable, and sure of being transmitted. 

 The peculiarities of races are more inherent, fixed, and strongly 

 marked than those of families built up or made artificially, or, 

 in the language of the farm, the " bluuLf ' is stronger in the one 

 than in the other. 



Our common stock may form a good basis of improvement, 

 but good as it is, in many respects, it has defects which it is 

 desirable to remedy. Two modes of improvement naturally 

 suggest themselves to the mind of the enterprising farmer, 

 either of which seems to promise good results. The first is that 

 of selection from among our " native," or common cattle, of the 

 best and most perfect specimens not known or suspected to be 

 related to any of the well established breeds, and to use them 

 as breeders, and so to build up a new and artificial breed aftei 



