36 THE COW 



ters lower and flatter, the front quarters usually- 

 more erect, the head generally elevated above the 

 line of the shoulders, with variations as noted in 

 Chapter IV. 



When she gets up she lifts her forequarters on 

 the elbows, then places her hind feet on the ground 

 and elevates the rear quarters, then brings up the 

 fore parts to full stature. She stretches herself 

 taut, lowering her head in the process, whisks her 

 tail to one side, and is ready for any new event. 

 The horse arises by getting up directly on his front 

 hoofs, then raising the hind quarters. 



Once before you, the cow is a ponderous bulky 

 beast, the very mass of her — ^if she is of the big 

 breeds — striking fear into the minds of the timid 

 as they see her rise. She seems to shake the 

 ground. The huge bulk conveys an impression of 

 angularity, — a massive rectangle with projecting 

 prominences at the hips and above the front legs, 

 thick neck supporting an elongated head carried, 

 when in resting position, in an upward direction. 

 The front legs stand straight and post-like under 

 the weight of front body and head, about equal in 

 length to the vertical width of the carcass; but the 

 feet stand obliquely downward and forward from 

 the legs, bearing the weight by strength of liga- 

 ments rather than by direct impact, making the 

 support to look indirect and insecure. The hind 

 legs do not have the post-like effect. They are 

 placed well toward the end of the rectangle; the 



