s, and upwards the hind-legs, and bringing them to the level of
the passage, the calf will be easily extracted. In unnatural labour the
veterinary surgeon should be immediately called in. Skellet 'On the
Parturition of the Cow' is the most valuable authority I am acquainted
with on unnatural labour, but I fear it is out of print.

A word here as to free-martins. When a cow produces two calves, the one
a male and the other a female, the female is called a free-martin. The
almost universal belief is, that the free-martin will not breed; and
generally this holds good. I have had, however, in my practice two
free-martins that have bred. One of them proved one of the most useful
animals and best breeders in the herd, and produced some of my finest
females; but her own appearance lacked that female style which shows
itself in a high-bred herd.

And here I may remark that those who act as judges at our cattle-shows,
if they are judging males, ought to judge them as males and not as
females; and if they are judging females, they ought to judge them as
females and not as males. Some may understand what I mean. As I
consider it one of the most important qualifications in a judge to have
the discernment I refer to, and as many are appointed judges, even at
our national shows, _who never should have been appointed, and many
act who never should act_, it ought to be put out of all doubt. As
an example, when a bull shows the head of a female and a want of
masculine character, he should be rejected. Masculine character in the
bull is of the greatest importance to the success of the
breeder--effeminacy in the male must be shunned as the most deadly
poison. On the other hand, let that female be rejected by the judge in
the show-yard, and by the breeder in his selection, that looks as much
like a male as a female. However long she may have been kept up for
show-yard purposes, or whatever enormous quantity of beef she may have
put on, if she have the head of the ox (I do not say of the bull,
because I have never seen a female so characterised) she must be put
aside, unless very superior in other respects. Such animals will seldom
pass muster with the first-class judge, but _even he must be upon his
guard_. I have often seen great blunders committed, especially with
heifers, the owner of which may, for the sake of winning the prize,
have fed them for years without hope of propagation. I have seen them
carry the prize to the exclusion of t