55 



down ; shoulders slanting, fine, and level at the commencement of 

 the neck ; strong limbs, large, and powerful, articulations ; short 

 and solid cannon bones ; good feet ; tail bushy but short ; color 

 either light or dark bay, roan, slaty, i^ray or dapple gray. The Bou- 

 lonnais breed form an aggregation of about 400,000 head, not count- 

 ing numerous animals scattered about outside of the Boulonnais 

 centre. The breed is divided into several varieties, according to the 

 different countries, under the names of Bourbourienne race, Picardie 

 race, and Cauchois race. Shades only separate these diverse 

 branches. The Boulonnais breed becomes Bourbourienne breed 

 when raised in Seine Inferieure ; it is the same breed a little lighter 

 and having a more active step. 



There now exists a stud-book for the Boulonnais breed, which 

 will preserve and improve the breed in all its purity. 



4 



THE PER^CHERON BREED. 



This breed is one of the most firmly fixed and well established ; it 

 is as much so as the Clydesdale breed and the Suffolk Punch breed. 

 At the time of J.ouis XIV. the Percheron horse was considered as an 

 animal possessing great excellence, and capable of travelling long 

 distances at a trot, drawing a heavy load behind. 



Its characteristic features are well defined and possess a uniformity 

 which is the irue indication of the breed, as you have been able to 

 see for yourself at the concours of Mortagne. 



Considered in an anatomical point of view, and referring to the 

 cranium, we ascertain that the Boulonnais has a brachycephalous, and 

 the Percheron a dolychocephalous ci-anium. 



The Percheron breed has the following characteristic features : 

 Color generally dapple gray ; forehead narrow. and slightly convex 

 between the arches of the eyes, which are salient ; long face, with 

 narrow chanfrin, straight at the base, but slightly arched (Roman) 

 toward the end of the nose ; crest zigmotic and prominent ; nostrils 

 open and moveable; thick lips; large mouth ; cheeks medium size and 

 round ; ears a trifie long but erect; eye quick; eyelids somewhat 

 heavy ; strong neck and shoulders ; mane sufficiently bushy ; chest 

 broad ; whithers high and thick ; shoulder long and sloping ; breast 

 broad and deep ; tail set high and bushy ; hips salient ; strong limbs, 

 solid articulation ; cannon bone somewhat long, but clean, without 

 hair. 



