CHAPTER IX. 

 THE VALUE OF TYPE IN DOMESTIC ANIMALS. 



Type may be defined as another name for form or 

 conformation. But it differs from these in that, when used, 

 it has reference to form or conformation, bearing upon 

 adaptation to a certain end, whereas these terms apply to 

 conformation in the abstract. In the strict sense it applies: 

 (i) To conformation within the breed rather than to con- 

 formation within the class to which the breed belongs. 

 For instance, the class cattle embraces many breeds. These 

 differ from one another in form, hence they differ from one 

 another in type. But within some of the breeds are cer- 

 tain strains or families possessed in common of peculiarities 

 of form. In Shorthorn cattle, there are the Bates, Booth 

 and Cruikshank strains. Each of these constitutes a type 

 which differs from the others in certain points of conforma- 

 tion, hence these differ from one another in type; (2) to 

 conformation within the class as determined by classifica- 

 tion, or, to be more exact, as making classification possible. 

 For instance, within the species cattle are known as the 

 beef, dairy and dual purpose classes. Each of these em- 

 braces several breeds, and also many animals of mixed 

 breeding, possessed of certain peculiarities in form in com- 

 mon, with reference to a certain end, notwithstanding other 

 peculiarities of form in which they differ. Hence, they are 

 also spoken of as beef, dairy and dual purpose types; (3) to 

 animals possessed of certain peculiarities of form which 

 stand out more prominently than other peculiarities but 

 without reference to breed or grade, as when cattle are 

 referred to as being of the low-down, blocky, or of the 

 longer limbed and more rangy form. They are then com- 

 monly referred to as possessed of the blocky and rangy 

 types respectively. 



133 



