22 THE FORM OF ANIMALS. 



The Bones, 

 The strength of an animal does not depend upon the 

 size of the bones, but on that of the muscles — Many 

 animals with large bones are weak, their muscles being 

 small. Animals that were imperfectly nourished diring 

 growth, have their bones disproportionately large. If 

 such deficiency of nourishment originated from a con- 

 stitutional defect, which is the most frequent cause, they 

 remain weak during life. Large bones, therefore, gene- 

 rally indicate an imperfection in the organs of nutrition. 



On the improvement of Form. 



To obtain the most approved form, two modes of 

 breeding have been practised — one, by the selection of 

 individuals of the same family — called breeding in-and- 

 in. The other by selecting males and females from 

 different varieties of the same species ; which is called 

 crossing the breed. 



When a particular variety approaches perfection in 

 form, breeding in-and-in may be the better practice — 

 especially for those not well acquainted with the princi- 

 ples on which improvement depends. * 



* [Professor Youatt says, on this subject [breeding in-and-in] ; « It is the 

 fact, however some may deny it, that strict confinement to one breed, 

 however valuable or perfect, produces deterioration." By what he after- 

 ward says, as will be seen, he must have meant confinement to one 

 family or strain of the same breed. The rule should be this: that 

 valuable qualities being once established, which it is desirable to keep up, 

 should thereafter be preserved by occasional crosses with the best animal 

 tc be had of the same breed, but of a different family, This is the 

 secret which has maintained the bred Horse in his great superiority — 

 for although, as Nimrod avers, the immediate descendants of eastern 

 horses have, almost without an exception, proved so deficient of late 

 years that breeders will no more have recourse to them than the farmer 

 would go for immediate improvement to the natural or original oat ; yet 

 ihe breeder is glad to cross his stock with one of another strain or family 

 of the same blood, taking care never to depart from the blood of the souih. 

 eastern courser which flows in the heart of all families of Horses of th» 

 highest capabilities. 



