136 A HISTORY OF THE PEKCHERON HORSE 



Napoleou III, obtaining from him an order for the 

 horse, later paying an enormous price. ' ' 



These details supplied by Mr. BigeloAv in connec- 

 tion with the stallions included in this and other im- 

 portations made by the firm are of great value as 

 shoA\TLng the weight of the stallions then obtainable 

 in France and proving the existence of at least two 

 well differentiated types at that day. The name 

 "Norman" was apparently given to the diligence 

 or quick-moving, smaller pattern of Pleasant Valley 

 Bill, while the larger, slower, more drafty sort, to 

 which Louis Xapoleon had belonged seems to have 

 been referred to merely as "French." 



Up to the end of 1867 twenty stallions and eleven 

 mares had been imported from France, practically 

 all of them having been purchased at or near the 

 town of Eouen. In so far as can be ascertained the 

 diligence type Avas preferred and had done better 

 with the eastern mares than the heavier horses im- 

 ported. 



Louis Xapoleon and Rollin, the first French stal- 

 lions brought to Illinois, had the advantage of meet- 

 ing larger mares than those available farther east, 

 or indeed anywhere else. It is presumable that Duke 

 of France, the stallion referred to by Mr. Bigelow 

 as of " Xorman-French " blood, was one of the heav- 

 iest retained in Ohio up to that time and probably 

 about the same size as EoUin. Tliat both these 

 horses were bay and hailed from the same locality 

 suggests a racial connection between them. Their 

 ruddy coats and superior scale would suggest also 



