18 CARRIAGE. 



William Aiton, in the survey of Aj^rshire, printed 

 at Glasgow in 1811, says the shapes most approved 

 of are, "Head small, but rather long and narrow at 

 the muzzle. The eyes small, but smart and lively. 

 The horns small, clear, crooked, and their roots at 

 considerable distance from each other." 



These aspects, and a compromise of them in vary- 

 ing degree, are found in the Ayrshire of to-day. 



The carriage is what may be inferred from a study 

 of the head of the animal. Each motion is suggested 

 by a purpose entertained by her, and her walk is sel- 

 dom lagging; and if she pauses by the way-side, it is 

 but for a moment, to move on at a quicker pace. 

 There is little dilatoriness. Promptness is a char- 

 acteristic. Her walk is easy, hurried into a trot in 

 the early morning, and at night, if she expects to find 

 food in her manger, or to drink there. If you dis- 

 turb her at rest, in the pasture, she goes to feeding 

 again. 



There is often too much motion for her to be grace- 

 ful. She steps precisely and long, but when grazing, 

 no animal can be more pleasing. Her shapes are so 

 carried as to offer small impediment to motion, and 

 it comes easier to her than to any other dairy breed in 

 our acquaintance that carries so much of the pasture 

 with them. 



In the dairy breeds, and in most animals particu- 

 larly adapted to milk-giving, there is a tendency to- 

 wards accumulation of a larger part of the weight of 

 the animal in the rearmost half. In the Ayrshire, this 

 tendency is much developed, more so than in any 



