86 CATTLE-BREEDING. 



tion, while always in favor of the maintenance 

 of the animals in the best manner, yet is 

 impartial, and under ordinary circumstances 

 would maintain an average. But under the 

 well-known theory of averages, while the far 

 greater number of cases fall at or near the 

 average line, at the same time some will fall 

 quite far away, and as many will exceed as fall 

 short, and the extreme variation up and down 

 will be equal. Say, for instance, that the aver- 

 age height of men in America is five feet six 

 inches, then it follows that there are as many 

 men over as under that height, and that the 

 same is true with relation to two lines of equal 

 distance from the line of average above to be- 

 low that is, there will be as many men under 

 five feet as over six. It is not necessary to dis- 

 cuss at length the laws of "averages" and of 

 "deviation from an average," these two prop- 

 ositions are now so well settled. We have, 

 then, this first proposition, that all animals, 

 under ordinary circumstances, will in a state 

 of nature maintain the same average, and also 

 that there will be a deviation of considerable 

 extent above and below the average and of 

 equal degree and extent both ways. 



Let man interpose and domesticate a number 

 of animals of one kind and Nature's laws are 

 at once set aside. Naturally, those deviating 

 furthest below the average are first disposed 



