74 THE MASSACHUSETTS SOCIETY 



other reports, was of great merit, was notable in two 

 particulars, especially, the pair of mammoth fat oxen 

 from Springfield, and the Westbrook heifer. They 

 took the highest premiums, and, by vote of the trus- 

 tees, paintings of the three animals were procured for 

 the society. Measurements of the oxen were taken 

 for comparison with those of the most celebrated 

 Enghsh ox of that day, known as the Durham ox. A 

 part of the figures given of the larger American and 

 the English ox are the following: American, height at 

 the shoulders, 5 ft. 6I/2 in. ; length from nose to end of 

 rump, 11 ft. 3I/2 in.; greatest girt, 10 ft. 1 in.; Eng- 

 lish, height, 5 ft. 6 in.; length, 11 ft; girt, 11 ft. 1 in. 

 The comparative weights are not given. The larger 

 American ox weighed 2,784 pounds, and the smaller, 

 2,320 pounds. The age of the pair was 61/^ years. 

 The Westbrook heifer was notable as being the first 

 adequate public demonstration, under the auspices of 

 the society, of the great gains possible through judi- 

 cious breeding. The heifer was partly of native, but 

 chiefly of English pedigree, the English breed being 

 that of the celebrated cattle breeder, Robert Bakewell. 

 At the date of exhibition the animal was 21 months 

 old and weighed over 1700 pounds. At six months 

 old its weight was 600 pounds. In form it was re- 

 garded superior to anything that had been seen of the 

 same class in this region, and besides the painting, the 

 trustees had an engraving made and published in the 

 Journal for January, 1818. 



Another notable affair, though not eligible for a 

 premium, was a pair of women's shoes exhibited by 

 William Furnald of Charlestown, as evidence of the 

 rapidity possible in the work of manufacture. On the 

 first day of the cattle show between the midnight hour 

 and one o'clock A. M., a goat was slaughtered at Mr. 



