Brittany Cows. 
215 
type, tliey more readily receive tlie impress of the new influence. 
In this manner the shape may be improved without prejudice to 
the produce of butter. 
The little Brittany cow has never been highly esteemed at 
home. Even now, a leading- farmer has been known to be 
unwilling to be seen buying one. How far, then, is the prefer- 
ence shown to them by some amateurs justifiable? Jamet's 
answer is as follows. 
" The little Morbihan (Brittany) cow is of tiny size ; her 
head is charming ; her fine legs and slim feet add to the delicacy 
of her shape, which at the first glance is very attractive ; but in 
the eyes of the real judge of stock this impression is overcome 
by the defects of the body. In proportion to her size and weight, 
the belly is enormous ; the size and. depth of the flank exag- 
gerated. If you add to this a naiTow chest and a light hind- 
quarter, 30U have a true portrait of a Brittany cow, which may 
take with the crowd but cannot satisfy the enlightened breeder. 
" In fact, the shape of this little creature speaks of itself to the 
eye of intelligence ; it cannot be an econamical producer. I 
know that she has the reputation of living upon little, but she 
does not deserve it, because proportiono-teh/ she eats a great deal. 
She grazes all day on the waste ; her delicate lips enable her to 
crop the short and nuti'itious herbage which clothes the soil 
between the stems of fern and rushes. In one word, if she eats 
so little, why is her belly so distended as it is ? 
" Remove her to rich land and she will take in much food, but 
tlie yield of milk never increases, and as she fattens her milk 
will dry up. 
"The Brittany cow has a right to her place on the sandy 
wastes {landes). She yields a produce, small though it be, where 
other breeds could not live. It would be folly there to introduce 
a new breed or to transform the existing one ; but it is absurd 
to transport her to fields long under cultivation where keep is 
good, for her produce does not increase with the value of her 
food. 
" Be it, however, admitted that rich proprietors are not to 
blame for keeping a few Brittany cows for the use of their esta- 
blishment, as the butter is delicious. 
" It has been asserted that the jNIorbihan cow is the poor 
man's cow. A poor family may keep one, after a fashion, on 
commons and the roadsides ; but, permit me to say that this poor 
man's cow is but a jwor cow in a better berth." 
After commenting on the inexpediency of giving prizes for the 
jmre breed, M. Jamet concludes thus — 
"The Morbihan cow gives little milk, but of an agreeable 
taste and containing much butter ; its taste and quality are 
