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WHITE CATTLE: AN INQUIRY INTO THEIR ORIGIN, ETC. 263 
From ancient records we learn that, in the early days of English 
history, white cattle were valued higher than coloured ones. 
We are told that 100 white oxen were equal to 150 black oxen. 
They were utilised as money, and in demand when fines had to be 
paid. For this reason white cattle were selected, placed in charge 
of herds, and kept together in enclosures in order to have a supply 
ready when required. They were domesticated cattle. Many 
proofs can be adduced in support of this statement. Professor 
Low pointed out in his “Domestic Animals,” published in 
the early part of the century, that in the area in which the Black 
Pembrokes were reared practically wild, that is, uncontrolled, there 
was also reared a domesticated breed known as the white forest 
breed. The story of Twm Sion Catte, who was born in 1590, 
quoted by Professor Hughes (op. cit., p. 24), also illustrates this 
point—‘‘a pair of oxen were ploughing together, one was black 
and the other was white. Twm wanted to steal the white ox, so 
he drew the boy away from his charge by letting out a wired 
hare in front of his corgi, and, as the dog was gaining on the 
hare, the boy could not resist the temptation and followed, look- 
ing back from time to time to see that the white ox, at any rate, 
was safe. Twm, watching his opportunity, threw a white sheet 
over the black ox and drove the white ox away.” The points 
this story illustrates are, I think, that the white ox was as 
domesticated as the black ox, but that it was regarded as much 
more valuable we learn from Twm’s desire to steal it, and the 
ploughboy keeping his eye on it. The suggestion made by Mr, 
Housman is, I think, very probable, namely, that the white cattle 
were large animals when compared with the native black breeds, 
and were valued for their size. Compare a Hungarian ox with a 
Kerry, or even a Kyloe, and some idea of the difference in size, 
which must have appealed to the eyes of our ancestors, will ve 
apparent. Another illustration that white cattle were domesti- 
eated can be given from an Irish zoological and topographical 
poem as old as the ninth century, published in the Proceedings 
of the Royal Irish Academy, The poem begins :— 
‘* T then went forth to search the lands, 
To see if I could redeem my chief, 
And soon returned to noble Tara 
With the ransom that Cormac required.” 
