ITALY. 335 



These cattle have very long and straight backs and well-rounded 

 bodies ; neck very thick, with abundant mantle ; head light and clear 

 cut, with short and thin horns ; ears long and flesh-colored inside ; legs 

 rather large and strong, and placed well under; hoofs well proportioned, 

 and not too straight ; tail quite short, and black at the end. This black 

 and silver color extends over the muzzle, along the back to the rump, 

 when it ceases and appears again at the end of the tail. The color ot 1 

 the hair is a silver white, very thin, and abundant. 



The principal markets for these white cattle are Arezzo, Castiglione, 

 Florentine, and Tojano del la Chiaiia in the province of Tuscany. An- 

 nual fairs are held, beginning after harvest time, about the middle of 

 August, and generally increasing in importance until December. 



I have made inquiries as to the cost of transportation by steamer from 

 the nearest port, Leghorn, to New York, and in reply the agent of the 

 Anchor Line informs me that $50 per head is charged, the shipper pro- 

 viding all fittings, stalls, boxes, fodder, and attendants, the ship only 

 providing water. This line of steamers is very good and the cattle can 

 be well accommodated on the upper deck. The length of voyage is 

 about twenty-six days. 



J. SCHUYLEE CEOSBY, 



Consul. 



UNITED STATES CONSULATE, 



Florence, May 20, 1882. 



CATTLE IN VENETIA. 



REPORT BY CONSUL NOTES, OF VENICE. 

 GEOLOGICAL FORMATION OF VENETIA. 



The Venetian territory would seem at first glance specially fitted by 

 nature for a grazing country. The large proportion of its surface oc- 

 cupied by hills and mountains of moderate elevation, the abundance 

 of its Vcitcr courses, the nature of its soil, often of superior fertility, 

 and everywhere good for forage, are all in its favor. These advantages, 

 however, are subject to a serious drawback in the dry heat of the cli- 

 mate, unless the want of moisture be supplied by a generous irrigation 

 to combat the danger of destructive drought. Without this the pros- 

 perity of live stock will always be uncertain and its multiplication lim- 

 ited. 



An idea of the general character ot the region is suggested by the 

 fact that it contains a large part of the southern water-shed of the Alps, 

 and several of their loftier peaks, together with the delta of the great 

 north Italian rivers. Few portions of Europe offer such extreme con- 

 trasts of scenery and situation, and though the Italian climate and the 

 community of an ancient civilization do much to soften the discordances 

 of local influence, so completely opposed, there must still remain a great 

 diversity in the conditions of life. 



Geologists agree that the Alps were among the last upheavings of 

 the primeval sea, and that their enormous masses are little else than the 

 fossilized remains of its animal life. They also tell us that this upheav- 

 ing was the result of intermittent volcanic action continued during the 

 Tertiary period, and underlying the whole area of Italy ; gradually sub- 

 Biding to the north as the surface fixed into its present form, but show- 



