744 MASS. BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



prominent ones. I know of no better way to discharge my 

 duty on this point, than by transcribing the opinions of those 

 who have devoted much time to this business. 



Mr. Aiton, a Scotchman, whose remarks on cows were pub- 

 lished in 1812, and are regarded by English writers as reliable 

 authority, gives below the description of an Ayrshire cow : — 



" The shapes most approved are as follows : — Head small, 

 but rather long and narrow at the muzzle ; the eyes small, but 

 quick and lively; the horns small, clean, bended, and their 

 roots at considerable distance from each other; neck long and 

 slender, tapering towards the head, with little loose skin hang- 

 ing below; shoulders thin, fore quarters light and thin, hind 

 quarters large and capacious ; back straight, broad behind, 

 joints of the chine rather loose and open ; carcase deep, and 

 the pelvis capacious, and wide over the hips ; with fleshy but- 

 tocks ; tail long and small ; legs small and short, with firm 

 joints ; udder capacious, broad and square, stretching forward, 

 and neither fleshy, low hung, nor loose ; the milk veins large and 

 prominent ; teats short, and pointing outwards, and a consider- 

 able distance from each other; skin thin and loose ; hair soft and 

 woolly; the head, bones and horns, and all parts of least value, 

 small, and general figure compact and well proportioned." 



John Brooks, of Princeton, who has given great attention 

 to the raising of stock, and, particularly to those striking traits 

 that constitute a good cow for the dairy, says, in the American 

 Veterinarian : — 



" Head and face rather long ; muzzle small ; eyes prominent, 

 bright and mild ; forehead, between the horns, narrow ; wide 

 between the eyes ; horns rather long, small, oval shaped, and 

 wax colored, smaller near the head than three or four inches 

 from it; neck slim and flat, not approaching to round; on 

 leaving the shoulders the neck should fall a little below the 

 line of the back ; straight on the back ; wide in the loins ; the 

 outlines of the loin should be nearly parallel ; thigh should be 

 thin ; hind legs straight and small, standing wide apart ; in 

 walking the cow should carry her hind legs straight forward, 

 not sling them out, describing the segment of a circle ; the 

 fore leg above the knee should be rather large ; below the 

 knee, small, approaching to round ; foot rather large than 

 small, but round, and of a dark wax color ; breast wide ; brisk- 



