270 TRANSACTIONS, NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY OF GLASGOW. 



held similar views, for, though in his days there was a " deacon 

 of the ass," neither the ox nor the cow was so honoured. 



I have pointed out that black cattle — the Celtic breed — are to 

 be found on the western and northern coasts of Britain. In turn, 

 they are the prevailing type in Ireland. According to Wilde, four 

 types existed : — 



I. The Irish straight-horned (Fig. 28), in colour black or red. 

 It is the skull of this animal that, in Wilde's opinion, is 

 the same as that carved on the friezes of Grecian temples, 

 and it was the animal " used in sacrifice by the early 

 Greeks and also bv the Hebrews and other sacrificing 

 nations," 



Fig. 28. — Irish Straighthorn. 



2. The Irish Longhorns or Connaught ox, red or brindled in 

 colour. These animals had wide spreading horns, turned 

 so completely inwards that they either crossed in front 

 of or behind the mouth, or pressed so much inwards 

 towards the cheek as to cause irritation to the animals 

 and require amputation. 



