Guc)W)i6 Si/s(cm of Selecting Coics hij the Escutclicon. 477 
of the extent of this surface which divides each class, or family, 
into six orders. The escutcheon of the first order is the most 
developed, and is also the best marked ; that of each of the 
lower orders is similar in form to the first order, but is in 
reduced proportion, or with the dimensions reduced, or brought 
into less extended limits, reaching no longer the hams, nor 
covering the interior of the thigh, nor yet reaching up to the 
vulva. In any case, the broader it extends upon the thighs, the 
lower down and higher up the broad part covers, and the higher 
up and the broader the vertical portions are ; and the more 
perfect and equal, or uniform in shape of its class it is, the 
better is the escutcheon. 
The lower half, or broad portion, of the escutcheon, is of 
nearly similar shape in all the classes ; only in the lower classes 
it is not quite so broad, nor quite so high up, as on the better 
classes ; while the vertical portions gradually diminish both in 
height and breadth, until, in the tenth class, there is none at all. 
We, therefore, in speaking of the escutcheon, divide it into two 
parts. The lower portion, or broad part, running on to the 
thighs, we call the thigh-escutcheon ; the upper portion, which 
extends up to the vulva, or towards it, we call the vertical 
portion. The thigh-escutcheon in all the classes resembles a 
round-pointed shovel ; while the vertical portion may be likened 
to the handle. Now, remembering this fact, that the vertical 
or upper portions are what mostly distinguish the different 
escutcheons, will show that most attention is to be paid to the 
vertical part ; also, it is about the upper part the blemishes 
usually appear which detract from the value of the escutcheon. 
The lower part, or thigh-escutcheon, indicates the quantity of 
milk the cow will give ; the upper portion, or vertical escutcheon, 
the time she will milk ; and the colour of the skin, the feel of 
it, and the character of the hair on the escutcheon, will tell the 
quality of the milk. And these three points must be judged 
partly, also, by two other matters, — the size and the breed of the 
cow. The nearer any cow comes, in hair and mellowness of 
hide, to the characteristics of a first-class Jersey cow, the nearer 
she comes to first quality for richness of milk and for butter. 
The effect produced by the change in the direction of the 
growing of the hair, which forms the escutcheon, is not glaring 
on the animal. It is merely a difference of lustre and the gloss 
on the surface of the escutcheon, from the part of the skin sur- 
rounding it. The hair of the escutcheon is finer, shorter, more 
furry, and more silky. Its appearance at first glance makes one 
think this part of the animal has been shaved, and is perhaps 
quicker seen than the hair on the rest of the animal. It is 
more easily seen in summer, when the hair is shorter, and 
usually the animal is cleaner, and the hair more glossy from the 
