Live Stock. 89 



as scarcity or coarseness of food, or any other circumstance 

 in its treatment, that might subject a more delicate breed to 

 injury. In this respect, different kinds of stock greatly 

 vary ; and it is a matter of much consequence to select, for 

 different situations, cattle with constitutions suitable to the 

 place where they are to be kept ( 9 ). It is a popular belief, 

 that dark colours are indications of hardiness. In mountain 

 breeds of cattle, a rough pile is reckoned a desirable pro- 

 perty, more especially when they are to be kept out all win- 

 ter. It enables them to face the storm, instead of shrinking 

 from it( 91 ). But without being hardy, when distinguished 

 by the excellence of their shape, cattle may possess " vigor- 

 " ous constitutions." With that advantage they are Dot sub- 

 ject to various disorders, to which ill-shaped cattle are liable, 

 as having yellow fat( 9i ), also being lyery, or black-flesh- 

 ed ( 93 ), defects so injurious to stock, as to render them un- 

 saleable. 



6. Prolific property. By this property is meant, that the 

 females of a breed, shall not only bear more frequently than 

 usual, but shall also occasionally have more than one at a 

 birth. This property runs more strikingly in sub-varieties, 

 or individual families ; and though partly owing to something 

 in the habits of animals, and partly to their previous good 

 or bad treatment ( 94 ), yet, in some degree, seems to depend 

 upon the seasons, some years being more distinguished for 

 twins than others. In breeding, not only the numbers, but 

 the sex of the offspring, in some cases, seems to depend 

 upon the female parent. Two cows produced fourteen 

 females each in fifteen years, though the bull was changed 

 every year. It is singular, that when they produced a bull 

 calf, it was in the same year. Under similar circumstances, 

 a great number of males have been produced by the same 

 cow in succession, but not to the same extent ( 9S ). 



7. Quality of flesh. Breeds are likewise distinguished by 

 the quality of their flesh. In some kinds it is coarse, hard, 

 and fibrous; in others of a finer grain or texture. In 

 some breeds also, the flavour of the meat is superior; the 

 gravy they produce, instead of being white and insipid, is 

 high coloured, well flavoured, and rich; and the fat is in- 

 termixed among the fibres of the muscles, giving the meat 

 a streaked, or marbled appearance. Breeds whose flesh have 

 these properties, are peculiarly valuable. Hence two animals 

 of nearly the same degree of fatness and weight, and who 

 could be fed at nearly the same expense to the husbandman, 



