Page:Mrs Beeton's Book of Household Management.djvu/484

420 These denizens of the mountains might well seem to be a natural product of the land of mist and flood. Their gleaming horns, shaggy coats, stalwart frames and sombre hues seem like an embodiment of the "Spirit of the Highlands." They found an early improver in Mr. McNeil, a proprietor in the Hebrides, and from thence they spread over the Western and Central Highlands. Their symmetry is perfect and their size moderate. Their horns are upright or spreading, and their coats are long and capable of resisting any amount of rain, snow or sleet. Their colours are black, brown, silvery grey, fawn or brindled. For scenic effect they are unsurpassed, and when deported from their native homes they are as decorative as deer, in Windsor Great Park and other demesnes. The West-Highlanders are quick fatteners, and yield beef of first-rate quality. At cattle shows, they always attract an admiring crowd, who gaze upon them at a respectful distance. The free life of West-Highland cattle favours the natural suckling of the calves, and they are never enumerated among the dairy breeds.

The Pembroke Cattle of Wales are black, with black tipped white horns. They are considered to be closely related to the Park Cattle of Chillingham and the native red cattle of Devon. They are an indigenous breed, and probably are descended from the ancient British cattle. They are therefore looked upon as the descendants of Bos Primigenius in contradistinction to Bos longifrous, the extinct wild prototype of Highland cattle. The best type of Pembroke Cattle are called CastleMartins.

DAIRY BREEDS.

Jersey Cattle properly head the list of dairy cattle. They occur as the native breed of Jersey, and no bull is allowed to land upon the island that is not of pure blood. These cattle are of fawn or smoke colour, beautifully shaded on the ribs and haunches. The horns are short and curved towards each other, and are black in colour. The face is deer-like and free from flesh, and the carcass is light in front and heavy behind. They are free milkers, and the milk is of rich colour and extremely rich in cream. It is the butter-making breed par excellence, and the beautiful rich yellow colour of the butter confers upon it a special value. A Jersey cow converts her food into rich milk and is a slow fattener. This is a drawback to the male portions of the herd, which are slow to fatten, and not very saleable except in the case of the best bulls. The deer-like beauty, small size and docility of the cows render them general favourites, and they are largely kept in suburban districts by villa residents. As ordinary farming stock they are not general, as the yield of milk and butter is not so great as in some other breeds, and does not always command a price commensurate with its quality.

Guernsey Cattle possess similar properties to the Jerseys, but may