KLIPPART'S DESCRIPTION. 21 



and level on the back, has the same shaped head, neck, horns, nostrils and 

 muzzle as the Shorthorn, but lacks in development of brisket. The head, neck 

 and horns of the Holland cow are finer than that of the Shorthorn cow, the 

 carcass equally square, broad and deep." 



There is no doubt Mr. Klippart saw and described the best representatives 

 of the breed of thirty years ago, a class of cattle that would equal, if not lead, 

 the present registered class of the European herd-books. He also closely and 

 carefully discriminated between the various breeds of the lowland race, which 

 very few writers have done. He says: "It is a very common practice to speak 

 of Holland cattle as though they were as distinct a breed as the Shorthorn or 

 Devon breed; and I must confess for a time 1 was misled by this generic 

 term. In Holland there are several breeds of cattle, almost all of which owe 

 their origin to the Holland proper breed, and it was the manifest disparity 

 in the several animals shown me as Hollanders that led me to make a closer 

 examination of the matter. The Oldenburgers, West Friesian, East Friesian, 

 Groningen and Beemster are all Holland breeds, and I am assured may be 

 traced back to one original breed, but by culture and care, careful selection in 

 breeding and management, together with the influence of the climate, soil and 

 food, these several distinct breeds have been produced." 



In our observations we find the forehead only moderately dishing, and the 

 orbits of the eyes not especially prominent; the eyes full; the cose straight, 

 without flesh ; upon the sides of the nose the form of the veins showing dis- 

 tinctly through the skin ; the nostrils large and well open ; the jaws light and 

 free from flesh ; the throat clean, and the head set lightly to the neck ; the 

 ears large, light, active in movement, the inside of an oily texture and yellow- 

 ish brown in color, and a small dewlap extending from the brisket upward to 

 about half the length of the neck. The only point of difference with the 

 description of Mr. Klippart, is in the loin and rump. We find these parts more 

 rounded than he describes, and the huckle rising in many instances, giving a 

 slightly sloping form to the rump. 



As this breed has been used from time immemorial, especially for dairy 

 purposes, we should naturally expect large development in all those parts that 

 relate to milk production. The udder is often of enormous size, measuring in 

 many instances fifty to sixty inches in circumference ; it extends well forward, 

 where it has a squareness of form, and is very broad ; it also fills the space 

 between the hocks, and is well up behind, and the texture of the whole 

 soft and pliable. The teats are cylindrical in form, not cone-shaped, and are 

 usually from two and a half to three and a half inches in length. The milk 

 veins are generally long and crooked, often of extraordinary size. Every 

 variety of escutcheon is found, yet the prevalence of the Flanders, in its various 

 orders and forms, is especially noticeable. We have often thought, while exam- 

 ining these cattle, that there was a wider divergence of character between the 

 males and females than in any other breed with which we are acquainted, or 

 in other words, a greater contrast of masculineness and feminality of appear- 

 ance ; and in the absence of any other discoverable cause, have ascribed it to 

 the effects of early maturity, and the constant requirement of milk production 

 of the cows continued for many generations. 



Passing from the registered cattle, which we have taken as the proper rep- 

 resentatives of the breed, to the unregistered, we find a great diversity of size, 

 build and quality. Some of these unregistered cattle are very large and fine, 

 and need only the application of their owners to be received into the registered 

 class. There is a great diversity in size and quality caused by the soil in differ- 

 ent localities. Upon the sandy 'soil they are of poorer quality and smaller size. 

 One of the most favorable positions to observe the general appearance of the 

 unregistered cattle, is at the spring markets at Leeuwarden, Hoorn or Alkmaar. 

 At such markets, hundreds, and sometimes thousands of cows fresh in milk are 

 offered for sale. They are fastened in the market places in long lines, side by 

 side, as closely as they can conveniently stand. Passing along these lines in 

 the rear, observing their broad rumps, finely formed limbs and immense 

 udders, then along in front, noticing their beautiful heads and necks, and their 

 wedge-shaped bodies, an admirer of fine cattle can scarcely repress constant 

 exclamations of surprise and admiration. We believe no breed in any other 

 country can make a show under similar circumstances of equal merit. 



