ADDRESS OF MR. LORING. 



37 



woody fibre, fatty matter, mineral matter and moisture, 

 are parcelled out in the varieties of food with the 

 accuracy of mathematics, and with proper instructions 

 in the business of producing butter, cheese and milk, 

 or beef 



In order that you may understand the many and 

 various ways in which cattle are connected with the 

 wants and arts of life, and the depth to which science 

 may go in its explorations, I beg leave to read to you 

 an extract from a lertter addressed to myself by that 

 wonderful example of modest wisdom, and patient appli- 

 cation, and profound knowledge, Professor Agassiz, on 

 the occasion of receiving from me the skeleton of an 

 uncommonly finely developed Ayrshire cow, for the 

 Museum of Comparative Zoology at Cambridge. He 

 says : — 



" As I intend to make a very complete collection of all 

 our domesticated animals, allow me to submit to you my 

 desiderata, in the hope that you may in course of time 

 be able to help me in obtaining some of the subjects I 

 want for that purpose. It would be highly important 

 to ascertain, if possible, where and when the different 

 breeds of cattle now growing in America have been 

 introduced, and, if possible, to track some of the earliest 

 breeds to their present distribution over the whole 

 country, so that the changes they have undergone in 

 America might be ascertained. 



With reference to the collection to be made, I wish 

 to obtain, at first, skeletons of a bull, cow and calf of 

 each breed, which will of course require much time and 

 perseverance. As such choice specimens as are wanted 

 would always be valuable, opportunities should be 



