BUEEDINa FROM FAULTY ANIMALS. 135 



animals, without any pretensions to symmetry or 

 power. But a vice versa case will not succeed, 

 that is, a short -bo died, narrow-flanked dam will 

 seldom produce a clever litter of whelps, although 

 coupled with a dog as long as a hurdle. The fact 

 is too often disregarded, that the mother is generally 

 the producer of perfection or imperfection according 

 with her own frame ; and from the ignorance of or 

 inattention to this first law of nature, the numerous 

 weeds in every establishment date their origin. 



A smart-looking, handsome-topped mare is too 

 often consigned to the stud, for which purpose in all 

 other respects she is totally unfitted ; length and 

 depth of flank being an indispensable point in 

 brood mares as well as in brood bitches. Horses 

 will go in all shapes, evenly or comfortably to 

 their riders is another question ; but go they do 

 and will, even with crooked legs, if not over- 

 weighted or overworked, provided there is mus- 

 cular power somewhere. But, however high cou- 

 raged and intrinsically good in themselves, it 

 would be a hazardous experiment indeed breeding 

 from such faulty animals. I have as yet only 

 alluded to the shape or framework, which in cattle 

 breeding is the chief if not only consideration ; 

 in fact, a bullock can scarcely be too long or too 

 large, provided he possess aptitude to fatten, as all 



