British Association. 505 



retreat it is the bulls that bring up the rear. Lord Ossulston 

 was witness to a curious way in which they took possession 

 as it were, of a new pasture recently opened to them. It was 

 in the evening about sunset. They began by lining the front 

 of a small wood, which seemed quite alive with them, when 

 all of a sudden they made a dash forward altogether in a line, 

 and charging close by him across the plain, they then spread 

 out, and after a little time began feeding. Of their tenacity 

 of life the following is an instance. An old bull being to be 

 killed, one of the keepers had proceeded to separate him from 

 the rest of the herd, which were feeding in the outer park. — 

 This the bull resenting, and having been frustrated in several 

 attempts to join them by the keeper's interposing, (the latter 

 doing it incautiously), the bull made a rush at him and got 

 him down ; he then tossed him three several times, and after- 

 wards knelt down upon him, and broke several of his ribs. — 

 There being no other person present but a boy, the only as- 

 sistance that could be given him was, by letting loose a deer 

 hound belonging to Lord Ossulston, who immediately attack- 

 ed the bull, and by biting his heels drew him oiF the man and 

 eventually saved his life. The bull, however, never left the 

 keeper, but kept continually watching and returning to him, 

 giving him a toss from time to time. In this state of things, 

 and while the dog with singular sagacity and courage was 

 holding the bull at bay, a messenger came up to the castle, 

 when all the gentlemen came out with their rifles, and com- 

 menced a fire upon the bull, principally by a steady good 

 marksman, from behind a fence at the distance of twenty-five 

 yards ; but it was not till six or seven balls had actually en- 

 tered the head of the animal, (one of them passing in at the 

 eye), that he at last fell. During the whole time he never 

 flinched nor changed his ground, merely shaking his head as 

 he received the several shots. Many more stories might be 

 told of hair-breadth escapes, accidents of sundry kinds, and 

 an endless variety of peculiar habits observable in these ani- 

 mals, as more or less in all animals existing in a wild state : 

 but, 1 think I have recapitulated all that my memory suggests 

 to me, as most deserving of notice ; and will only add, that 

 if you continue in the intention of preparing a paper to be 

 read before the approaching Scientific Association at New- 

 castle, on this subject, you are welcome to append this letter 

 to it, as containing all the information I am able to give.— I 

 have the pleasure &c, 



" Tankerville." 

 " To L. Hindmarsh, Esq." 



