732 CATTLE AND DAIRY FARMING. 



and bony frame, -with tail badly set. The head is long and heavy, with white horns 

 and pale red eyelids. The coat is of an even dim or wheaten-yellow color. The oxen 

 have colossal strength and work patiently, fattening easily. The females are hand- 

 somer than the bulls, but poor as milch cowS. 



Class II, section 4, had eight entries, all being of an even and rich grey color. Their 

 weights were 905, 894, 933, 936, 881, 937 kilogrammes, or about 17 cwt. 3 qrs. each. The 

 ages were from three years four months to five years. The first prize went to M. Cham- 

 baudet, of Meilhan, Iiot-et-Graronne. Most of the exhibits came from the Gironde. The 

 shape of the prize beast was typical of the breed which is reckoned perfect, with deep 

 chest well letdown, rounded flank, the body almost a complete cylinder, the line of back 

 straight, the haunch broad, square, and well placed, heavy rnmp, sometimes bossy, horns 

 often fiiulty, on a short head, with broad open forehead. For shape, the cows are espe- 

 cially handsome, but are only poor milkers. Temper in the bulls makes them generally 

 dangerous. We have no' breeds in England to parallel the Bazadaise. A group reminds 

 one of a silver-grey Jersey herd, grown big and wild. 



Class II, section 5, had but five entries; yet these were specimens of perhaps the most 

 special breed in France, the bullocks often standing 6 inches taller than our biggest Short- 

 horns. In color they are deep mahogany red, with white often under the belly. M. Gus- 

 tav Valtau, who took many prizes, carried the first in this class with a four years ten 

 months animal, weighing 20 cwt. 2 qrs. 10 lbs. This breed is improving; they are good 

 workers as well as meat-producers. The mountains of Auvergne were the cradle of the 

 race, of which the head is short and strong, the forehead broad and covered with curly 

 hair, the horns smooth, twisted, and turned outwards. The body is long and cylindrical, 

 mounted on tall legs, the head and shoulders are strong, the dewlap thick and promi- 

 inent, the rump short, with tail attached high up. On the Limagne plains the body is 

 shorter, squarer, and lower on the ground, the coat often chestnut and white, the head 

 sometimes white; yet the Salers breed is one of the most fixed character in France. 



Class II, section G, was comprised of seven entries, for the breeds Parthenaise, Chde- 

 taise, and Nantaise; but the specimens shown were all of the Parthenaise group. These 

 were scarcely equal to expectation, yet their weights were fairly good ; the first-prize ani- 

 mal, five years old, weighed 19 cwt. , 81bs. , and the second prize turned a ton. The Parthe- 

 naise family includes Vend^enne, Nantaise, and Mancelle breeds, which occupy several 

 departments — the Deux-Sfevres, Lolre-Inf6rieure, Charente-Inf^rieure, &c. The breed 

 is regarded as pure by some, and as a mixed race by others — crosses between Bernoiae, 

 Fribourgeoise, and Swiss cfittle. The animals have one fixed characteristic, that of black 

 external mucous membranes, surrounded by a badger-grey circle. The shape of all the 

 groups is that of the old French breed, which is remarkable for good milking qualities, 

 good fattening qualities, and good working powers. Handsome, well-directed, brilliantly 

 black horns, a graceful, well-proportioned body, and good disposition, belong to a true 

 Parthenaise, one of the best milch cows in France. 



Class II, section 7, included several breeds, as follows: Flamande, Normande, Mancelle, 

 Femeline, Bourbonnaise, Comptoise, Bearnaise, Basquaise, Aubrac, Mezenc, Br^tonne, 

 Tarine, &c. Only ten entries represented the above races, and the first prizes awarded 

 were to a four years and two months old Bourbonnais, a yellow dun, of which the weight 

 was not given. In this class was the exhibit of the Viscount Arthur de Chezelles, which 

 had been fed on ensilage, and was the heaviest beast of the class, weighing 21 cwt. 3 qrs. 

 6 lbs., age five years two months and ten days. A Bourbonnaise took second prize and 

 third prize, whilst the Norman entries only got honorably mentioned. In the subclass 

 a handsome mottled-dun Basquais took first honors. The four entries of Bretonne class 

 were good, and of the type well-known in England. 



Of the Flemish breed, the great merit is their milking qualities, and the chief breed- 

 ing districts are in the Pas de Calais and Aisne departments. The cows are large, straight- 

 backed, with a large rump and well-hung tail, color a reddish brown, deepening toward 

 the head; some have a few white marks. The sides are wanting in roundness. Of 

 course the cows are too valuable to send to a fat-stock show, and the males are killed 

 early for veal, except such as are saved for breeding. Manche and Calvados are the 

 cradle of the fine Norman breed, wich is subdivided into Cotentine, Bressine, and 

 Augeronne families. The breed is large and handsome, of great diversity of color and 

 shape, but usually dappled, and often of the brindled-brown seen in our Longhorns. 

 The quality of the meat makes the oxen valued in Paris, and specimens of this breed 

 have been, it is stated, fattened to over 30 cwt. The cows are remarkable for their 

 abundant and rich milk. The famous Isigny butter comes from the Bressine breed 

 and that of Gournay from various Norman families. The Livarot cheese, that obtained 

 the pnze of honor this year, is, like Camembert, Neufchatel, &c., made from the milk 

 of Normans. 



The Femeline cattle, of which there were no entries at the show, are of the Comptois 

 type, and are raised m the Doubs and Saone departments. The coats are wheaten- 

 vcllow, the head slender, with small horns close to the eyes, the neck slim the chest 



