The Escutcheon varies in shape, and Guenon named his ten classes from their shapes.
The first class, he called Flandrine or Flanders, because it is the best, and he named it from the best cows he knew, those from Flanders, or the Flemish breed, and they had more of this shaped escutcheon than any other breed; a quiet but sure proof of the truth of his system.
The second class he called Flandrine à gauche, because although it had the Flanders shape, it was on the left flank, he called it therefore the Left Flanders.
The third class are the Lisière, or The Selvage, from its appearance to a selvage, or binding of a piece of cloth.
The fourth class are the Courbe-Ligne, or the Curveline, because their escutcheon is lozenge-shaped, formed by a curved line which sides to the right and left, and rises to about five or six centimeters from the vulva.
The fifth class he denominated Bicorne, or the Bicorn cow, because the upper part of this escutcheon forks in two horns.
The sixth class, Double-Lisière, or Double Selvage, has an entirely arbitrary name, and it is an odd freak of nature.
The seventh class is called Poitevine, or Demijohn, from a fancied resemblance to some kinds of demijohns.
The eighth class is Equerrine, or Square-Escutcheon, as it is square at the upward part.
The ninth class is the Limousine, as it was on a cow from that Province that Guenon first saw this shaped escutcheon.