TJIE UNITED KINGDOM. 135 



the first and at the time the only native breed of stock in Scotland 

 wliich the National Agricultural Society distinctively recognized for 

 encouragement as breeding stock by the offer of premiums for such at 

 that society's first general show at Glasgow in the year 1826. Origi- 

 nating in dairy districts, they have been almost exclusively bred for 

 dairy purposes, but statistics show what perfection the breed might 

 attain for the purposes of the butcher. 



In the counties of Ayr, Renfrew, Wigtown, Lanark, Sterling, Dumbar- 

 ton, Bute, Argyle, Dumfries, Kirkcudbright, and Perth they form the 

 only class of dairy stock, but they are sought after earnestly by dairy- 

 men in all the other counties of Scotland, throughout England, and now 

 Mr. Ferme has established a large and eminently successful dairy of 

 them in the very midst of South London. They are annually exported 

 in large numbers to Sweden, Australia, iNew Zealand, America, and 

 other countries. The dairies of them in Scotland range in numbers 

 from 15 to 100, but now Mr. Hoggau has formed one of 300 at Busby, 6 

 miles from Glasgow. 



Color. The prevailing color is brown and white, spotted, flecked, or 

 mixed with white, but inclining, as a rule, mostly to the brown. Many 

 breeders incline to the pure dark-brown without any white. In the 

 show ring in recent years the fashionable and stylish color has been 

 pure white, with splashes of brown on body, brown neck, brown on the 

 sides of the head, and white face. Breeders aim at fine, thin-skinned 

 animals, soft and mellow to the touch, with nice, long, silken hair ; and 

 in obtaining these ends it has, in my opinion, been most justly conceived 

 that white-haired animals are most prone to these qualities. I think the 

 prettiest specimens of the breed and the best types are to be found in 

 those whose bodies arc dark brown and have pure-white hind legs, white- 

 udders, and white tail. These sorts, in my experience, have proved the 

 best milkers and surest fatteners. Very few dairies there are which 

 have not a black and white specimen of the breed. That color is not 

 rare, and they are always found good milkers. 



Characteristics. In my opinion the following constitute the leading 

 points in the Ayrshires: Large nostrils; short head, from eyes down- 

 wards; large, lull, and lustrous eyes, set well forward in head; broad 

 brow betwixt eyes, gradually widening upwards to its full breadth be- 

 twixt the horn-roots; horns widely set apart and inclining entirely up- 

 wards, and white with black points ; horns of bull not so highly set and 

 of lair thickness ; neck, at the back, of the horns, level, and extending 

 straight back to shoulder- bone, the back continuing in a straight line 

 to tail-root; no dewlap; body round heart-line extending in a gradu- 

 ally deepening line to the flank ; shoulder-bone high and thin, rising 

 above the Blades, the blades being well set and not working when the 

 animal is in motion; part of body behind shoulder level; back broad; 

 torrs broad and pointed and equidistant betwixt second fore rib and 

 and tail-root; ribs well sprung from backbone downwards; calving 

 bones by no means wide; tail well set in ; deep, well-filled thighs, ex- 

 tending in a straight line downwards and redlining low, in the body at 

 the flank ; whole body set on short legs ; long hair ; soft, mellow skin ; 

 fine bones ; whole contour level ; body full of substance and symmetry; 

 animal sprightly, with fine escutcheon, and showing nobility and gran- 

 deur of gait ; in cows the milk- vessel should be broad betwixt hind 

 legs, well caught up to body, large and level on sole of vessel and ex- 

 tending forwards far on to belly ; teats well and proportionately planted. 

 Maturity as milkers. The Ayrshire cows are at full maturity by produc- 

 ing a calf the month in which they reach three years of age, but many 



