DALGIG TO AYR. 269 



to the infinite detriment of their size. From the 

 middle of June to the end of August, in their third 

 year, is the best time, and during the winter they 

 are gradually brought into the byre. Twins with 

 them are of rare occurrence, which their hard bringing 

 up may in some measure account for. Many of these 

 " tidy queys^' in-calf are sold off grass in October or 

 November to English commissioners, for £J7 to ^12, at 

 Kilmaurs, near Kilmarnock, at the beginning of No- 

 vember. The cows are in " the right tid ye ken''^ a 

 fortnight before calving, or two weeks after ; and the 

 bloom is fairly off them at the end of July, unless 

 they are fed very highly. They are on the grass^ 

 from ]\iay to November, but after they calve they 

 get bean-meal, and boiled chaff' and light corn for a 

 time. Their most general winter diet is bran and 

 bean-meal, cabbages and early turnips, and steamed 

 swedes wdth chaff and cut hay. 



They should be short in the head, wide arid free in 

 the jowl, broad in the forehead, with a large full, gentle 

 eye, totally free from a Eoman nose, and with a 

 tapering expressive muzzle. Many dislike the hair 

 to be shaded off with tan up to the nose, from a be- 

 lief that it betokens a wild, roving disposition, which 

 will operate against the milk-pail in both ways; and 

 a yellow muzzle is all the fashion. If possible, the 

 head should be set on with a slight arch, the neck 

 should be light, and the ear large and fringed. The 

 horn should neither be heavy nor sappy, nor have the 

 sweep of the West Highlander (who is said to have 



