o3G Report on the Exhibition of Live Stock at Wancich. 
some and neat specimens ; as also 3Ir. Price's " Miss Coningsby " 
and Mr. Turner's " Countess," highly commended, together with 
Mr. Rea's " Diadem," commended. There was another in this 
class which we expect to see again in a different position, viz. 
Mr. Williams' " Barmaid." 
Devons. — Although so little has been written on it, the improve- 
ment of the Devon has not been neglected ; on the contrary, its 
breeding lias been studied like a science, and carried into execu- 
tion with the most sedulous attention and dexterity for upwards 
of 200 years. The object of the Devon breeder has been to 
lessen those parts of the animal frame which are least useful to man, 
such as the bone and offal, and at the same time to increase such 
other parts (flesh and fat) as furnish man with food. These ends 
have been accomplished by a judicious selection of individual 
animals possessing the wished-for form and qualities in the great- 
est degree, which being perpetuated in their progeny in various 
proportions, and the selections being continued from the most 
approved specimens among these, enabled the late Mr. Francis 
Quartly at length to fully establish the breed with the desired 
properties. This result is substantially confirmed by the statistic s 
contained in Davy's ' Devon Herd-Book.' We have been curious 
enough to examine these pedigrees, and find that nine-tenths of 
the present herds of these truly beautiful animals are directly 
descended (especially in their early parentage) from the old Quartly 
stock. Later improvements have been engrafted on these by the 
Messrs. Quartly of the present day. The example of various 
opulent breeders and farmers in all parts of the county has 
tended to spread this improvement, by which the North Devon 
cattle have become more general and fashionable. The leading 
characteristics of the North Devon breed are such as qualify them 
for every hardship. They are cast in a peculiar mould, with a 
degree of elegance in their movement which is not to be excelled. 
Their hardihood, resulting from compactness of frame and light- 
ness of offal, enables them (when wanted) to perform the opera- 
tions of tlie farm with a lively step and great endurance. For the 
production of animal food they are not to be surpassed, and in 
conjunction with the Highland Scot of similar pretension, they 
are the first to receive the attention of the London West-end 
butcher. In the show-yard, again, the form of the Devon and 
its rich quality of flesh serve as the leading guide to all decisions. 
He has a prominent eye, with a placid face, small nose, and 
elegantly turned horns, which have an upward tendency (and 
cast outwards at the end), as if to put the last finish upon his 
symmetrical form and carriage. These animals are beautifully 
covered witli silky coats of a medium red colour. Tlie shoulder 
