Animals.
The horses of Italy are of little reputation, and few are reared in the country, except in the ancient Japygia, now the provinces of Bari and Otranto. Formerly, the Neapo litan horses were much celebrated, and formed a valuable article of exportation. But, for many years, the breed has been much neglected in consequence of their exportation having been prohibited, or at least subjected to so heavy a duty as amounted to a prohibition. Hence the farmers and gentry turned their attention to the rearing of mules, which are found better adapted for the bad and mountainous roads in that country, and which will carry a load of 500 weight through the most difficult paths without stumbling. This prohibition, however, is said to have been removed, and the breed of horses to have been again much improved. But they are considered as too soft and feeble to endure much fatigue, and their spirit quite destroyed by the brutal manner in which they are broken in The Calabrian horses are handsome in shape, spirited in their motions, and capa ble of enduring great fatigue ; but are in general of a small size, and seldom free from vice.
Very little attention is paid to the breeding of cattle throughout Italy in general, though the labours of hto bandry are so uniformly carried on by means of oxen. In Lombardy and Tuscany, the cows are generally of a blood red colour, and long lank figure ; but the oxen of a grey colour, moderate size, good shape, gentle disposition, and great strength. The breed is kept up by regular importa tion from Switzerland ; and 2000 cows ate reckoned to pass every year over St. Gothard, to be dispersed in northern Italy. In Tuscany, the farmers understand well the fatten ing of cattle ; and, in that view, make use of heifers, which they buy in at the age of three months, and sell about twelve or fifteen months afterwards to the butcher. Considerable quantities of cattle are reared in Abruzzo and Calabria ; and De Sails describes a beautiful breed on the lands of the duke of Martini in Otranto, with small heads, short legs, long carcases, the oxen of which, in particular, were of re markable site, and majestic appearance, with sparkling eyes, enormous dewlaps, and hinder parts gicatly resem bling those of a lion. Little butter is made in any district
ol Italy, as oil is so much in use every where ; but the milk is employed in making cheese, sherbets, &c.
Italy is the only country of Europe in which the buffalo is found ; and great droves of them are fed in the extensive marshes along the coast of the Mediterranean sea, from Salerno to Plana di Calabria, particularly upon the banks of the Garigliano and the northern plains of the Terra di Lavoro. They are of a black colour, ferocious aspect, yet easily tamed, and very submissive to the drivers, but said to be vengeful of injurie.. They are seldom used for draught, except in conveying timber for the royal navy from the forests ol Calabria. They partake as much of the hog as of the bull; and their flesh, which is extremely fat and rancid, is eaten chiefly by the lower classes of the people ; the chine being the only part that comes to thelables of the wealthy. Their milk, however, is extremely pleasant ; and the small new cheeses made of it, called Muzzarelle, arc accounted a great delicacy. Their hide also, though light, is so compact as to have supplied the buff coats, used as armour in the Irth century.—The sheep in Puglia are very large, and in Otranto are almost universally of a black co lour. The white breed, whose beautiful line white wool was so much admired by the ancients, and which are known by the name of pecore gentili, are almost quite extinct, as they are of a very delicate constitution, and require (what the poverty of the shepherds cannot afford) the protection of housing during the colder seasons. Besides, there is now less demand for wool in these districts, than for the cheese made from the ewe-milk, of which the black species. called fLecore moscie, yield a gt eater quantity .—The swine are fed in large het us, in the forests, especially in Calabria, where their keeper goes before them with a horn or barpipe, whom they learn to fo low with wonder ful docility. In the southern provinces, these animals arc almost universally of a black colour, and without any hair on their skin, wnich bears a considerable resemblance to that of the elephant ; -hence they ate never called porci, but animali neri.