THE BLACK STOCK. 2/3 



sures Normandy and the environs of Paris may 

 claim exemption, for, within a small circle at least, 

 a real determination to obtain a race of high-bred 

 horses seems to exist ; and that to some extent they 

 will be worthy to compete with the efforts made 

 elsewhere in Europe, is sufficiently evident from the 

 prominent part taken in the question by the heir to 

 the throne. 



The black stock, reproducing everywhere in Eu- 

 rope horses of a large stature, extends, with little 

 intermixture, down the Danube and through Cen- 

 tral Germany, Silesia, Moravia, and Bohemia, to 

 the north side of the Balkan in Turkey. The three 

 great military monarchies mount their heavy cavalry 

 almost entirely upon breeds of that origin. They 

 occur again in Asia, for we have already mentioned 

 the Karabulo race, so highly valued for speed and 

 bottom among the Toorkomans and the Katschen- 

 stzis of EasterL Tahtary, remarkable for a white or 

 grey mane, tail, and feet, while the rest of the body 

 is shining black. One or other of these, no doubt, 

 produced the black horse which ran the course at 

 the Ouralisk races in nineteen minutes. * In the 

 mixture of the varieties, the black form may be 

 found in a grey livery, but retains its own when 

 fused into the bay, or at most becomes dark brown ; 

 but while the typical indications remain, clear bay, 

 dun, or mouse colours never occur. In the chestmu 



* There is, nevertheless, m Eastern Asia, a prevalent opinion 

 that black horses come from the West ; from Fu-lany, which 

 Father Jaubil translates, Europe- 



