CONCERNING THE COW HEESELF 21 



winter protection she does remarkably well in very- 

 severe climates, and the well-fed steer thrives and 

 enjoys himself in the open in temperatures below 

 zero. It has been noted, however, that, unlike 

 sheep, cattle do not dig or paw away the snow to 

 get at the grass beneath, and this would indicate 

 that the cradle of the race was not habitually snow- 

 covered in the winter. On the other hand, like 

 deer, the cow readily browses the young twigs of 

 trees when grass is scanty. 



We can only guess concerning the history of her 

 domestication. There was surely a time when she 

 roamed the woodlands and knew not the restraint 

 or the protection of the hand of man. The cave- 

 man snared or trapped her and gorged himself on 

 her abundant flesh, and with a sharp stone stripped 

 off her skin and shaped it into a rude covering 

 against the cold. The human slowly and labori- 

 ously struggled up toward fore-thought, thrift and 

 civilization, and one day a wise old savage and 

 philosopher of the tribe made an infinite advance 

 when he said, "Would it not be better to capture 

 and tame some of these fine beasts and from them 

 rear others in order that we may have them al- 

 ways at hand for food and skins instead of depend- 

 ing on the uncertain chances of the chase?" and 

 that day the first Animal Husbandman arose. 



And another time some great thinker of the clan 

 observed that some of his increasing herd served 

 his purpose better than others because of size or 



