416 
Old  Gloucestershire  Cattle. 
regards  the  bull,  and  to ’a  certain,  though  much  less,  extent 
right  concerning  the  cow.  It'might  even  be  truthfully  said 
that  on  close  inspection  the  latter  showed  points  both  of  limb 
and  body  which  would  please i the  Jersey  man. 
OLD  GLOUCESTERSHIKE'COW,  “VIOLET.” 
Exhibited  by  the  Duke  of  Beaufoet,  Gloucester,  1909. 
Mr.  McRow,  the  Secretary  of  the  R.A.S.E.,  has  kindly 
supplied  the  following  extracts  written  in  1789  by  Marshall  in 
“ The  Rural  Economy  of  Gloucestershire,”  pp.  213-218  : — 
“ The  Gloucestershire  breed  of  cattle  is  a variety  of  the  middle  horned 
species  (see  York.  Bcon.,  article  Cattle).  In  size  it  forms  a mean  between  the 
Norfolk  and  the  Herefordshire  breeds.  (See  Norf.  Econ..  article  Cattle.)  The 
head  mostly  small  ; neck  long  ; shoulder  fine ; and  all  of  them  generally  clean. 
The  carcase  mostly  long,  with  the  ribs  full  and  the  barrel  large  in  proportion 
to  the  chest  and  hindquarters.  The  buckle  of  due  width  ; but  the  nache 
frequently  narrow.  The  bone,  in  general,  fine  ; the  hide  thin  and  the  hair 
short.  The  characteristic  colour,  dark  red — pirovincially  “brown” — with  the 
face  and  neck  inclining  to  black  ; and  an  irregular  line  of  white  along  the 
back.  The  horns  fine  and  rather  long ; but  in  some  individuals  placed 
awkwardly  high  on  the  fore  head,  and  near  at  the  roots  ; in  others,  how- 
ever, they  stand  low  and  wide  ; winding  with  a double  bend,  in  the  middle- 
horn  manner. 
“ The  principal  objections  to  the  Gloucestershire  breed  of  cattle  are  a 
deficiency  in  the  chine  and  too  great  length  of  leg,  giving  the  individuals  of 
this  description  an  awkward,  uncouth  appearance. 
“But  no  wonder.  The  breed  has  not  had  a fair  chance  of  excelling.  1 
have  heard  of  only  one  man,  within  memory,  who  ever  paid  any  especial 
