DNION TO BE RELIED ON. 87 



the activity of the nervous system, and furnishes the 

 milky glands with the means of abundant secretion. 

 Such cows, when dry, readily take on fat. When activ- 

 ity of the milk-glands is found united with close ribs, 

 small and feeble lungs, and a slow appetite, often 

 attended by great thirst, the cow will generally possess 

 only a weak and feeble constitution ; and if the milk is 

 plentiful, it will generally be of bad quality, while the 

 animal, if she does not die of diseased lungs, will not 

 take on fat readily when dry and fed. 



Other external marks of great milkers have already 

 been given in part. They should be found united, as 

 far as possible ; for, though no one of them, however 

 well developed, can be taken as a sure indication of 

 extraordinary milking powers, several of them united 

 may, as a general rule, be implicitly relied on. 



In order to have no superfluous flesh, the cow should 

 have a small, clean, and rather long head, tapering tow- 

 ards the muzzle. A cow with a large, coarse head will 

 seldom fatten readily, or give a large quantity of milk. 

 A coarse head increases the proportion of weight of the 

 least valuable parts, while it is a sure indication that the 

 whole bony structure is too heavy. The mouth should 

 be large and broad ; the eye bright and sparkling, but 

 of a peculiar placidness of expression, with no indica- 

 tion of wildness, but rather a mild and feminine look. 

 These points will indicate gentleness of disposition. 

 Such cows seem to like to be milked, are fond of 

 being caressed, and often return caresses. The horns 

 should be small, short, tapering, yellowish, and glisten- 

 ing. The neck should be small, thin, and tapering tow- 

 ards the head, but thickening when it approaches the 

 shoulder ; the dewlaps small. The fore quarters should 

 be rather small when compared with the hind quarters. 

 The form of the barrel will be large, and each rib 



