These animals are not encouraged to make fat on the one hand, or to develop powerful muscles and sinews on the other.

They are fed for part of the year on the higher and thinner pastures of the mountains.

When brought down to the meadows of the plain, they are allowed to graze only for a few hours before sunset and after sunrise.

They thus preserve much of the flavour of game or mountain sheep and cattle, which the oxen and poultry of Europe have lost; flavour, not quantity, being the chief object of care with Martial graziers.

Sometimes, however, some peculiarity perfectly useless, or even inconvenient, appears to be naturally associated with that which is artificially developed.