BOOK VI. xxiir. 3-xxiv. 3 



sounds, to seek their enclosures. Here it will be 

 possible to pass the herd in review and its numbers 

 can be verified, if, as though under military disci- 

 pline, they occupy the quarters assigned to them 

 by the keeper of the stalls. But the same strict 

 rules are not imposed upon the bulls, which, relying 

 on their strength, wander about in the woods and 

 have free exit and return and are only recalled when 

 they are required to cover the females. 



XXIV. Bulls which are less than four years old and The breed- 

 more than twelve are prevented from mounting the fe- '"^ °^ '^""'*' 

 males, the former because, being as it were in their 

 infancy, they are regarded as hardly suitable for breed- 

 ing purposes, the latter because they are worn out with 

 old age. The females are generally allowed to con- 

 sort with the males in the month of July, in order 

 that they may give birth to the young which are 

 conceived at this time in the following spring, when 

 the fodder has already come to perfection ; for the 2 

 period of gestation is ten months. The cows do not 

 admit the male at their owner's command but of 

 their own accord and their natural desires coincide 

 generally with the time of year which I have 

 mentioned, since exhilarated by the abundance of 

 food which the spring provides they become wanton 

 and desire intercourse. If the female refuses inter- 

 course or the bull feels no desire for her, the same 

 method is employed as we shall presently prescribe 

 for the stallion who shows distaste for the mare, 

 namely desire is stimulated by bringing to the nostrils 

 the odour of the genital parts. Also towards the time 3 

 when the females are to be covered their food is re- 

 duced, so that excessive fatness may not render them 

 barren, while the diet of the bulls is increased, so that 



183 



