40 A COUNTRY READER. 



sharp horns and stout neck as weapons of 

 defence. 



Men in the old days took advantage 'of this 

 strength of neck and horn to use the bullock for 

 doing the work of the farm instead of using 

 horses. In the dreamy, sleepy, hot East, bullocks 

 are still in very general use, and to-day in parts 

 of Sussex, pairs of bullocks can be seen harnessed 

 with a very old-fashioned form of yoke, a yoke 

 which fits on to the nape of the neck, with which 

 the animals drag the plough that ploughs the 

 fields. In France the yoke is fastened to the 

 horns and brow, so that the horns, brow, and 

 neck bear all the strain of carting heavy loads 

 and dragging the plough. This will show you 

 the immense strength of a bullock's head, neck, 

 and horns. 



A bullock or cow is a very patient beast, not 

 nearly so nervous or given to alarms as a horse. 



Speed, and alertness, and a very sensitive 

 nature, were necessary on the part of the wild 

 horse to enable it to escape its enemies, and so 

 this nervous disposition has been handed down, 

 and is inherited by the horse of to-day. 



The wild cattle, on the other hand, knew that 

 their best weapon of defence was their stout, 

 strong neck and powerful horns, and that they 

 could defend themselves best by standing together 

 at bay, with their heads down, and calmly await- 



