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CHAPTER XYI. 



DIFFERENT BREEDS. 



There are in England several distinct breeds varying 

 from eacli other, but there are not nearly so many as 

 a casual observer would imagine. What is called a 

 hack is not a distinct breed, but only consists of an 

 undersized specimen of other breeds, and hunters are 

 not a distinct breed. 



The first and most strongly marked distinct 

 breed is, I need not say, the thoroughbred horse. 

 This breed is descended from both Asiatic and 

 African ancestors — the Arab and the Barb. They 

 were at first crossed with English mares, and have 

 gradually, by careful selection, become a breed of 

 themselves, in no way resembling either the Arab or 

 the old English ancestors, though they still resemble 

 the Barb. Thoroughbred horses in England are 

 almost invariably bred solely for racing purposes, 

 although they are often used for other purposes 

 after they grow up. The consequence of this is, that 

 the breed has gradually assumed the shape and pro- 



