orm of an animal is therefore mainly determined by the activity of
its relative life. In a greyhound, the nervous power of which is highly
developed, the muscles are large and well-knit, the stomach, intended
for the reception of concentrated nutriment only, is small, and the
lungs are exceedingly capacious. In such an animal the arrangements for
the rapid expenditure of nervous power must be perfect. It is not merely
necessary that its muscles should be large and powerful, its lungs must
also admit of deep inspirations of oxygen, whereby the motive power
wielded by these muscles may be rapidly generated. Now, an animal
exactly opposite in organisation to the greyhound would, according
to theory, be just the kind to select for the production of meat.
The greyhound and the horse expend all their food in the production
of motive power; the ox and the sheep, being endowed with but a feeble
muscular organisation, use a smaller proportion of their food for
carrying on the functions of their relative life, consequently, the
weight of their bodies is augmented by the surplus nutriment. It is
clear, then, that an animal of a lymphatic temperament, an indolent
disposition, a low degree of nervous power, and a tendency to rapid
growth, is the _beau ideal_ of a "meat-manufacturing machine." Now, as
the larger the lungs of an animal are, the greater is its capacity for
"burning," or consuming its tissues, one might suppose that small lungs
would be a _desideratum_ in an ox, or other animal destined for the
shambles. This appears to be Liebig's opinion, for in one of his
books he states that "a narrow chest (small lungs) is considered by
experienced agriculturists a sure sign, in pigs, for example, of easy
fattening; and the same remark applies to cows, in reference to the
produce of milk--that is, of butter." On this subject Professor Tanner
makes the following remarks, in his excellent Essay on Breeding and
Rearing Cattle:[18]--"In our high-bred animals we find a small liver
and a small lung, accompanied with a gentle and peaceful disposition.
Now, these conditions, which are so desirable for producing fat, are
equally favorable for yielding butter. The diminished organs economise
the consumption of the carbonaceous matters in the blood, hence, more
remains for conversion into fat, but equally prepared for yielding
cream, if the tendency of the animal is equally favorable to the same."
One would imagine, from the foregoing passage,