DEVON BREED OF CATTLE. 127 



after two years* residence in his new home. The effect of soil, 

 climate, and water on the colour and hair, and in developing 

 changes in the form and physical structure, is well known and 

 duly appreciated ; so much so, that a great number of animals 

 are sent to North Devon for summering, with the twofold object 

 of grazing and changing their coats. 



As an illustration of the influence of climate and food, we 

 may refer our readers to the difference between the ordinaiy 

 Devon, and the South Hams cattle, a splendid collection of 

 which were exhibited in competition for the Devonshire Agri- 

 cultural Association prizes, at the Plymouth meeting of the 

 Bath and West of England Society, in June 1873. These 

 animals are much larger and coarser in bone, and closely 

 resemble the Sussex cattle, though hardly exhibiting so much 

 quality ; they are hardy, milk well, and are esteemed in their 

 district, which comprises the country on the right of the railway 

 from Plymouth to Totnes; they require more time to mature 

 than the more compact North Devon, and would hunger where 

 they would thrive. Amongst others we may name Mr. William 

 Coakes, of Charleton Court, Kingsbridge, as a highly successful 

 breeder. 



Notwithstanding his curly hair, the skin of a Devon must be 

 mellow and elastic. Experience shows that some animals fatten 

 faster than others. On " handhng" them, we find the skin and 

 parts beneath soft and ** mellow." This " mellowness " is a 

 kind of softness or elasticity perceived upon pressing the skin 

 with the fingers, and is a favourable sign of the aptitude of an 

 animal to fatten. These parts are the cellular membranes, 

 which in fat animals are full of fat, and the possession of this 

 mellow feeling by store stock denotes that there are plenty of 

 membranous cells ready for the reception of fat. None have 

 been more thoroughly successful than the Devon breeders in 

 attaining this desirable object ; they consider an animal of little 

 value if it cannot be fattened without very extraordinary food. 



The general form of a Devon is very graceful, and exhibits a 

 refined organisation of animal qualities unsurpassed by any 

 breed. The expression of the face is gentle and intelligent ; the 

 head small, with a broad, indented forehead, tapering consider- 

 ably towards the nostrils ; the nose of a creamy white ; the eye 



