14 Report upon the Agricultural Features 



having a yellowish-white colour, especially on the head and neck, is dis- 

 tributed to the number of 41,815 head in the districts of Judenburg, Knittel- 

 feld, Zeiring, and Obdach. The natural breeding districts of both these races 

 are the districts Frohnleiten, VVeiz, Gleisdorf, Birkfeld, Vorau, Friedberg, 

 Hartberg, and PoUau, with a total of 77,144 head. 



The Miirzthal race is especially prized for its milk-giving properties, and its 

 suitability for draught-purposes; but good sweet hay is necessary to their 

 successful development. 



The following description is taken from the large collection 

 of specimens exhibited by the Exhibition Committee of 

 Leoben, in Styria, which comprised 90 head of the Miirzthal, 

 Mariahof, Pinzgau, and Murboden Valley races. The colour 

 varies in individuals from a light fawn to a dark grey, almost 

 black. Each animal is pretty uniformly coloured over the body, 

 invariably becoming darker on the cheeks, neck, lower parts of 

 the sides (flanks) and thighs. The ears are light inside, and the 

 muzzle is black, with a light-coloured ring of hair round it. 

 There is a dark, or black, ring around the eyes ; the horns 

 are short, pointed, up-turned, and black-tipped ; the stature is 

 moderate, and the cows give the impression of being good 

 milkers. As examples of the breed may also be mentioned a 

 splendid pair of oxen exhibited by Herr St. Florian Stift, of St. 

 Florian, Upper Austria. They were 6 and 6|^ years old respec- 

 tively, were born in Styria, and were almost white in colour, 

 with black-tipped horns, mottled muzzles, and with black ends 

 to their tails. I also noticed a calf, bred in Lower Austria 

 (Cat. No. 488), mouse-grey on the back, sides, and head, and 

 white below. Each hair was half white and half grey, which 

 gave a mixed, or " pepper-and-salt," effect. The term " dachs- 

 grau " (badger-grey) is usually employed as descriptive in the 

 catalogue. That considerable pains is taken in maintaining 

 this breed pure is indicated by numerous notices in the catalogue 

 of the long period during which the herd represented has been 

 established. Thus, Herr Adalbert Bernauer, of Bruck, Styria, 

 informs us he " has been employed for the last thirty years in 

 improving the Miirzthaler race, and breeding his 60 head with 

 a view to the production of a great quantity of milk." Although 

 forming a conspicuous feature in the Austrian section, this race 

 was entirely absent from both the German and Hungarian 

 departments. 



Murhoden Race. — This is another Styrian race, and occupied 

 a place in the Styrian Committee's exhibition. It is described 

 invariably as light yellowish grey. They are handsome cattle, 

 and might be introduced into parks with good effect. They 

 closely resemble the Miirzthaler cattle, but are lighter in colour, 

 and lower in stature. They have the same uniform colour, 

 shading from light to dark. The bulls are of darker colour 

 than the cows, and the calves show a greater abundance of hair 



