28 CHARACTERISTICS. BEAUTY. 



the hocks, with bones rather fine, squarely placed, and 

 not too close together ; hoofs small ; udder full in size, 

 in line with the belly, extending well up behind ; teats 

 of medium size, squarely placed and wide apart, and 

 milk-veins very prominent. The color is generally 

 cream, dun, or yellow, with more or less white, and the 

 fine head and neck give the cows and heifers a fawn- 

 like appearance, and make them objects of attraction in 

 the park ; but the hind quarters are often too narrow 

 to look well, particularly to those who judge animals 

 from the amount of fat they carry. We should bear in 

 mind, however, that a good race of animals is not 

 always the most beautiful, as that term is commonly 

 understood. Beauty in- stock has no fixed standard. 

 In the estimation of some, it results mainly from fine 

 forms, small bones, and close, compact frames ; while 

 others consider that structure the most perfect, and 

 therefore the most beautiful, which is best adapted to 

 the use to which it is destined. According to the lat- 

 ter, beauty is relative. It is not the same in an animal 

 designed for beef and in one designed for the dairy or 

 for work. The beauty of a milch cow is the result of 

 her good qualities. Large milkers are very rarely 

 cows that please the eye of any but a skilful judge. 

 They are generally poor, because their food goes mainly 

 to the production of milk, and because they are selected 

 with less regard to form than to good milking qual- 

 ities. We meet with good milkers of all forms, from 

 the round, close-built Devon to the coarsest-boned 

 scrub ; but, with all their varieties of form and struc- 

 ture, good cows will usually possess certain points of 

 similarity and well-known marks by which they are 

 known to the eyes of the judge. 



It is asserted by Colonel Le Couteur, of the island of 

 Jersey, that, contrary to the general opinion here, the 



