THE HEART. 79 



ment of her rearmost half. Through the economy of 

 forces, the food is sparingly used for the building up 

 of parts beyond the necessity of the animal, but is 

 directed to giving largeness to the parts that are 

 tributary to her services, and to a direct reappear- 

 ance in her products. The appearance of lightness 

 forward is caused rather by the absence of unneces- 

 sary flesh and the comparison with the hips and 

 flanks, than by any deficiency in the constitutional 

 functions. The demands of the udder are a large 

 supply of blood, which can best be supplied by a 

 healthy heart, not cramped by position, and purified 

 in lungs of ample power. Hence we seek the appear- 

 ance of vigor as indicated by the absence of hollow- 

 ness behind the shoulder, by depth through the 

 region of the heart, and by the show of abundant 

 constitution as seen from the front. 



As the Ayrshire cow is possessed of these qualities 

 which are of value, we must look for their perpetua- 

 tion to the needs of the reproductive system, as indi- 

 cated by the hook bones being wide apart, and by 

 the ampleness of the bony covering, which, to cor- 

 respond to the parts as already given, would be de- 

 scribed as a pelvis long, broad, and straight. 



Heaviness of the neck is a masculine characteristic, 

 and it therefore follows that a departure from this 

 type would be desirable in the milch cow. An ex- 

 tremely thin neck has a cowey look, but may, on the 

 other hand, indicate too great delicacy of constitution. 

 The short, thick neck would indicate hardiness, and 

 if overladen with muscle, would suggest barrenness. 



