22 INTRODUCTION. 



attachment of flesh, or room within for the heart and lungs to play. 

 It is very desirable that the chest shall not be drawn up immediately 

 behind the elbow. The accumulation of fleshy and fatty substance 

 under the chest, and projecting before it, and which is called the 

 brisket, is also an important point — is an earnest of a propensity to 

 accumulate flesh and fat everywhere. 



Breadth across the loins is a valuable conformation, and more par- 

 ticularly length in the quarters, leaving space for plenty of muscle 

 and fat being put on these places, where the meat is of the finest 

 grain and fetches the highest price. 



7Vie Fore Legs. — The Shoulder Blade is a broad, flat, and triangu- 

 lar-shaped bone, situated on the outside of the fore ribs.' It is com- 

 paratively larger and more upright in the ox than in the horse. It is, 

 however, a fault when the shoulders are too heavy; for there is then 

 generally a deficiency about the choice parts. 



The Shoulder Bone is a short and very strong bone extending from 

 the cup of the shoulder blade to the fore arm. 



The Leg Bone, or Fore Arm, is situated between the shoulder bone 

 and knee, and it is the longest bone of the fore extremities. At the 

 upper and back part of it is the process called the elbow. The fore 

 arm should be large and muscular, and regularly tapering towards 

 the knee. 



The Knee consists of two rows of small bones, forming a compound 

 ioint of considerable streng-th, and allowinsr likewise of extensive 

 motion. 



The Fore Leg, or Shank, reaches from the knee to the upper pastern 

 bones. It is of much consequence that it should be clean, fine, short, 

 and small. 



The leg is divided at the bottom of the shank-bone, and there are 

 two sets of pasterns, and two hoofs, to each leg. The pasterns should 

 be small, and not too long: the feet, especially in working oxen, 

 should point straight forward, and should be sound ; and they should 

 not be too close to each other, for this would indicate a narrow chest, 

 that would be unfavourable to speedy fattening. 



The Hind Legs. — The Thigh Bone is a large and rather short bone, 

 extendinir from the cup-like cavity of the hip-bone to the stifle. It is 

 inclined obliquely forwards, and its lower end articulates with the 

 leg bone at the stifle. This part constitutes the quarters, which should 

 be deep and large. The longer the thigh bone is, compared with those 

 below it, the better; indeed, it is of advantage that the flesh should 

 extend down even to the hocks. 



The I^cg Bone reaches from the stifle to the hock, inclining ob- 

 liquely backwards. 



The Ilock is a compound joint, bein"-, like the knee of the fore ex- 

 tremities, composed of two rows of small bones. Tlie hocks naturally 

 approach each other much nearer in the ox than in the horse, and 

 the hind legs diverge from each other bfdow the hock, and stand 

 considerably apart. In some cattle this is carried to such an extent 



