526 
THE HORSES OF ALGIEKS. 
replies favourable to the object of an incorporation of an inde- 
pendent college of medicine, surgery, and midwifery. 
The report was adopted. 
A vote of thanks to the council and chairman concluded the 
business of the day. 
Foreign Extracts. 
The Horses of Algiers. 
M. Decroix, assistant veterinary surgeon to the 3d Regiment 
of African Chasseurs, has addressed a paper to the National and 
Central Society of Veterinary Medicine in France on this subject, 
having for its principal object the rectification of an opinion too 
generally admitted, that the French horses are inferior to the Al- 
gerines, in respect to vigour, stamina, action, and resistance of the 
causes inducing disease ; and that large French carriage horses 
might be rendered of great service in Algiers, if not for troop 
horses, at least for agricultural and commercial purposes. M. De- 
croix has observed both breeds of horses — French and Algerine 
— under the most trying circumstances, travelling on hard roads, in 
forced marches, with scanty rations — under, in fact, all sorts of 
fatigues and privations ; and he has come to the conclusion that 
the superiority of the Algerine has been greatly over-rated, and 
that the French horse has proved inferior only under circumstances 
not referrible to breed or stamina. 
And M. Decroix observes, with great discrimination, that when 
an animal is transported from one country into another — as from 
France to Algiers — much must be allowed for change of climate, 
temperature, soil, 8cc., circumstances which appear to have escaped 
the observation of those who have disparaged the French horses; 
forgetting that, before they could compete with the Algerines, they 
required to be climated ( acclimates ). 
Another circumstance — and an important one — observed in 
making this comparison between French and Algerine horses, was, 
that entire horses, whether of one country or the other, bore 
fatigues and privations better than geldings. Whether mares fared 
better, M. Decroix does not inform us. 
Barb horses are in general quieter and more tractable than 
French : it is rare to meet with a vicious one among them, though 
such instances have happened. 
