218 The Agricultural Features of the Paris Exhibition. 
They are gay prim-looking animals, shapely, and very lively ; 
their colour is usually red, variously tinted. Their predo- 
minant quality is aptitude for work, the cows being used 
mainly for that purpose. They are poor milkers, but their beef 
is greatly esteemed for its quality, and contributes largely to the 
meat supply of Bordeaux. They are reared chiefly in that part 
of the Pyrenees between Saint-Jean-de-Luz and Cauterets. The 
prizes were about equally divided among the three varieties. 
Limousin. — The Limousin breed is one of the most impor- 
tant in France. Excellent workers, they carry a large quantity 
of good beef, and are massive substantial animals. Their 
head-quarters are in Haute -Vienne. Of medium height, they 
are dun in colour, or, as the official Catalogue has it, coloured 
like "red wheat;" the head is moderately fine, and well 
proportioned ; the muzzle is white, and surrounded, like the 
eyes, with a ligh't-coloured rim ; the horns are white, strong, and 
gracefully bent upwards ; the neck is rather thick, and not 
tapering enough ; the forearm is powerful, and well spread ; the 
chest is deep, strong, and stretching far forwards ; the back is 
straight, strong, and long : the crops are excellent ; ribs are 
pretty well sprung ; the tail sits high and open ; thighs are 
thick, but rather round ; limbs are short, very strong, and well 
covered with flesh and muscle. No breed in the Exhibition 
showed a stronger or more uniform family stamp. In colour 
and form they were all after one pattern, and made up a very 
attractive and imposing display. Their predominant qualities 
are stated to be " sobriety, aptitude for work, and precocity in 
fattening." It is evident that the most prominent of all their 
qualities is their working powers. To these, however, they 
add good beef-producing properties, though in this respect con- 
siderable improvement is desirable. For beef-makers the bone 
is not fine enough, and the muscular development is too 
great ; the neck is rather clumsy, skin a little thick, the quarters 
are rather round, the tail is badly set, and the quality slightly 
deficient. Possibly, improvements in these respects would, 
to a certain extent, impair the working properties, which in 
France are of great importance. We, therefore, sympathise 
with the caution which the Limousin breeders, as well as the 
breeders of some other French cattle, are exercising in the im- 
provement of their valuable native cattle, and their reticence 
in admitting foreign blood of any kind. But, vyithout going 
beyond this breed itself, very sul)stantial improvement might 
yet be effected in all the defects mentioned. No doubt a 
good deal has already been accomplished in this way ; but, 
judging from Arthur Young's description of Limousin oxen, 
written at the end of the last century, it is evident that the 
