34 THE BOOK OF THE ANIMAL KINGDOM 



and not in England. It does not appear to have occurred in Ireland, 

 but nourished in Germany, Switzerland, France, Italy, Greece, 

 Austria, Scandinavia, Russia and elsewhere. 



Accurate data concerning the Aurochs seem to end somewhere 

 about the twelfth century, when we are told by Mr. Lydekker that 

 four individuals are mentioned as having been slaughtered in the 

 neighbourhood of Worms. The coloration of the original wild 

 animal is even more speculative than its size, but from old records 

 preserved to us it may be assumed that it was white, intermixed 

 with dun-red. In view of this coloration it is certainly interesting 

 to note that we may observe the prevalence of these colours in a large 

 number of our domestic cattle of to-day. 



As to our British Park Cattle — the half-wild, even although very 

 distant, representatives of the extinct monster whose claims we have 

 so far considered — these are almost white in colour when pure bred, 

 the ears and muzzle being either black or red, as also on occasions 

 is the front of the legs. They are not large animals, but what they 

 lack in stature they make up for in their general symmetry, the 

 short, strong legs, straight back, small head and long tail being 

 characteristics worth noticing. It should be noted that the best- 

 known herd of these Park Cattle in England is that at Chillingham, 

 whose numbers Mr. Harting and others have enumerated in a most 

 interesting way. Then we have the Cadzow Cattle, which differ 

 from the last-named in various ways, as well as the Chartley herd 

 already referred to. There are other herds of these fine beasts that 

 need not be detailed, and we may conclude this part of our story by 

 relating "that all these various herds of White Cattle are doubtless 

 derived from the half-wild cattle which, as we learn from the writings 

 of Fitz Stephen, dating from about the year 1174, were common in 

 the forests around London, and probably therefore in other parts 

 of England. When the various parks were enclosed a certain 

 number of these cattle were driven in, and the herds thus obtained 

 have been preserved with more or less care by their subsequent 

 owners" (vide The Royal Natural History). 



Of the various breeds of domestic Cattle little need be written 

 excepting to mention a few of their names, such as the small 

 Shetland Cattle found in Shetland, the Orkneys and Iceland; the 

 Highland Cattle so characteristic of the higher parts of Scotland ; 

 the somewhat larger Welsh Cattle, which are noted milk-givers; the 

 hardy Kerry breed, which thrive upon the mountains; the Polled 



