OEDEE OF PACHYDEEMATA. 201 



Sir James Shaftoe. The length of the course was about four 

 miles in a straight line, and, having run over the level part of the 

 ground, they found themselves ' neck and neck ' on mounting the 

 ascent. When within a short distance of the winning-post, 

 ' Elephant ' gained a little on ' Forester,' and the latter made 

 every possible effort to regain his lost ground ; but seeing that 

 these eff6rts failed, with a desperate bound he darted upon his 

 antagonist, and seized him with his teeth, in order to hold him 

 back, and it was with great difficulty he was made to let go his 

 hold. 



"In 1753 another Horse, belonging to Mr. Quin, on seeing 

 his antagonist pass him, seized the conqueror by one of his 

 limbs, and the two jockeys were obliged to dismoimt to part their 

 steeds." 



The English author from whom we have borrowed these two 

 facts regrets the state of the present system, which requires that 

 the Race-horse should be so pressed by the jockey, and that every- 

 thing should be sacrificed to speed at the expense of strength, so 

 that the victorious Horse leaves the course with his flanks torn 

 by the spur, his sides running down with sweat, his tendons 

 strained, and, in fact, incapable of further exertion, at least for 

 that day. Men who are competent to judge regret to see that, 

 both in France and England, every effort tends to one aim — an 

 extraordinary rate of speed for a short space of time. It is not 

 by requiring from a Horse the one quality of speed that we obtain 

 vigour and endurance, which, after all, are the most necessary 

 qualities. All our triumphs on the race-course, even those of 

 " Gladiateur," winner of the "Derby," and the " Grand Prix de 

 Paris," only go to prove the existence of a transient quality. 



Let us pass on to the Norman Horse (Fig. 56). Before the 

 creation of the Administration des Saras, there existed in Nor- 

 mandy a race of Horses which for many years furnished carriage 

 animals to the great lords of olden time. These were of Danish 

 origin ; but the present race is the result of a cross between the 

 Norman or Danish mares and the English thorough-bred, the 

 results show the characteristics of both stocks. They are bred 

 in two districts in Normandy : one the plain of Caen, comprising 

 the grassy meadows of Calvados and La Manche ; the other is 

 situated in that part of the Department of Orne which bears the 



