92 REGARD TO THE BREED. — EXCEPTIONS. 



native, will indicate anything like the same or equal 

 milking properties. It will not do, in my opinion, to 

 disregard the general and well-known characteristics of 

 the breed, and rely wholly on the milk-mirror. But I 

 think it may be safely said that, as a general rule the 

 best-marked Hereford will turn out to be the best 

 milker among the Here fords, all of which are poor 

 milkers ; the best-marked Devon the best among the 

 Devons, and the best-marked Ayrshire the best am:>ng 

 the Ayrshires ; that is, it will not do to compare two 

 animals of entirely distinct breeds, by the milk-mirrors 

 alone, without regard to the fixed habits and education, 

 so to speak, of the breed or family to which they 

 belong. 



There are cows with very small mirrors, which are, 

 nevertheless, very fair in the yield of milk ; and among 

 those with middling quality of mirrors instances of 

 rather more than ordinary milkers often occur, while at 

 the same time it is true that now and then cases occur 

 where the very best marked and developed mirrors are 

 found on very poor milkers. I once owned a cow of 

 most extraordinary marks, the milk-mirror extending 

 out broadly upon the thighs, and rising broad and very 

 distinctly marked to the buttocks, giving every indica 

 tion, to good judges, of being as great a milker as ever 

 stood over a pail ; and yet, when she calved, the calf 

 was feeble and half nourished, and she actually gave too 

 little to feed it. But I believe that this exception, and 

 most others which appear to be direct contradictions, 

 could be clearly explained by the fact, of which I was 

 not aware at the time, that she had been largely over- 

 fed before she came into my possession. I mention 

 this case simply to show how impossible it is to esti- 

 mate with mathematical accuracy either the quantity; 

 the quality, or the duration of the milk, since it is 



