WEED SWVATTE CATTLE. 24L 
was a slight increase, for in June, 1877, Mr. A. H. 
Cocks found two bulls, two cows, and two heifers, 
although one of the cows unfortunately was_parti- 
coloured. 
The loss of two cows during the present owner’s 
time, and impairment of the fertility of others by 
the foot-and-mouth disease, as well as the reten- 
tion at one time of a single bull which proved in- 
fertile, are the chief causes which have led to the 
threatened extinction of the herd, added to which 
Mr. Legh attributes its present diminished numbers 
to long-continued in-and-in breeding from near 
affinities. 
Although in habits the old Lyme cattle resembled 
those at Chillingham, they were larger than any 
breed of cattle now existing in this country—higher 
on the leg, more upstanding, and longer in the body 
—very large cattle, with strong bone, much substance, 
and a large amount of flesh about the neck and dew- 
lap. They had abundance of long rough hair, which, 
in the males was very fully developed, curly and 
mane-like on the head and fore-quarters, and the 
hide was of immense thickness. They were very 
grand and symmetrical in appearance, and_ their 
movements were distinguished by a peculiar majestic 
stateliness. Their flesh was excellent, but there does 
not seem to have been any record kept of their 
weights. For a great many years, indeed, none but 
cows were ever slaughtered, and latterly not even 
these. The colour of the ears is subject to variation, 
and, although generally red, it is sometimes black or 
