TRANSACTIONS OP THE SECTIONS. 103 



less in all animals existing in a wild state : but, I think I have recapi- 

 tulated nearly 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 Asso- 

 ciation at Newcastle, 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 J. Hindmarsh, Esq." 



In addition to this letter, Mr. Hindmarsh communicated some in- 

 formation collected from Mr. Cole, the keeper, and from his own ob- 

 servation. There are about eighty in the herd, comprising twenty-five 

 bulls, forty cows, and fifteen steers, of various ages. The eyes, eye- 

 lashes, and tips of the horns alone are black, the muzzle is brown, 

 the inside of the ears red or brown, and all the rest of the animal 

 white. Even the bulls have no manes, but a little coarse hair on their 

 neck. They fight for supremacy, until a few of the most powerful 

 subdue the others, and the mastery is no longer disputed. When two 

 bulls are separated by accident, they fight when they meet, although 

 friendly before, and do so till they become friends again. The cows 

 commence breeding at three years old ; the calves suckle nine months ; 

 they conceal their calves for a week or ten days after they are born, 

 suckling them two or three times a day. The late Mr. Bailey, of Chil- 

 lingham, found a calf, two or three days old, very poor and weak. On 

 stroking it, it retired a few paces, and then bolted at him with all its 

 force ; he stepped out of its way, and it fell down, when the whole flock 

 came to its rescue, and forced him to retreat. They do not often die 

 from disease, but they ai-e seldom allowed to live more than eight or 

 nine years, at which period " they begin to go back." When slaugh- 

 tered, they weigh from 38 to 42 stones. One was caught and kept, 

 and became as tame as the domestic ox, and thrived as well as any 

 short-horned steer could do, and, in its prime, was computed to weigh 

 65 stone. They are shy in summer, but tame in winter, and will eat 

 hay from a fold, although they will not taste turnips. When one of 

 the herd becomes weak or feeble, the rest set upon it and gore it to 

 death. At the end of the last century similar cattle existed at Barton 

 Constable, Yorkshire, and at Dunnlary, in Dumfries-shire, but these 

 are now extinct. 



The author quoted a passage from Boetius, which, allowing for a 

 little colouring, described these animals very well, except in the non- 

 existence of a mane. The cattle at Dunnlary had black ears, but in 

 all other points resembled those of Chillingham ; and this may be ac- 

 counted for by a statement of Bewick, that about forty years ago some 

 of the animals had black ears at Chillingham, and were shot by the 

 keeper. On the whole, the author was inclined to think these animals 

 the survivors of the Caledonian cattle, which undoubtedly extended 

 through the northern provinces of England ; and that, under the pro- 



