302 THE OX. 



in Argyleshire and the neighbouring Islands. This charac- 

 ter they owe to the greater development of their forms, to 

 the superior herbage of the western coasts, but in a great 

 degree, likewise, to the superior care bestowed in breed- 

 ing. After the middle of last century, Archibald Duke of 

 Argyle, a worthy and patriotic individual, bestowed consi- 

 derable attention in improving the cattle of the district sur- 

 rounding his own seat of Inverary ; and more recently, nu- 

 merous gentlemen of the Western Highlands have devoted 

 sedulous attention to the improvement of this breed. On 

 these accounts, the variety of the Western Highlands is 

 usually referred to as the model of the breed, just as that of 

 Pembroke is regarded as the model of the Mountain Breeds 

 of Wales. But the West Highland Breed has extended to 

 Perthshire and other parts ; and in almost every part of the 

 Highlands, are now to be found gentlemen devoting their 

 attention to the improvement of this staple production of their 

 country. ! 



Although it is well known to all breeders, that a certain 

 class of external characters indicates a disposition to arrive 

 at an early maturity of bone and muscle, and to become 

 easily fat, namely, a large cylindrical body, dependent upon 

 the greater curvature of the ribs, a body large with relation 

 to the limbs, or, in other words, limbs short with relation 

 to the body, a broad expanded chest, a skin soft to the touch 

 and expansile, a relative smallness of the bones, and an ab- 

 sence of coarseness in the extremities ; and in certain breeds 

 of the lower countries, these characters may be developed 

 to a high degree ; yet, in a country of mountains and heaths, 

 with a cold, humid, ungenial climate, there must be com- 

 bined with these a set of characters indicative of that hardi- 

 ness of constitution, without which the animals would be un- 

 suited to the condition in which they are placed. That ex- 

 treme delicacy of form which can be easily communicated 

 by breeding, must be avoided. The hair, while it is silky, 

 unctuous, and free from harshness, should be abundant and 



