TWENTY-TWO ENCLOSED HERDS 31 



a list of " localities where wild white cattle or their domesti- 

 cated descendants are proved to have existed." Forty are 

 named, including the enclosures. 



The Forest Laws enacted by William the Conqueror 

 (1087) were very severe, and the wild animals were safe from 

 disturbance. The punishment for killing the big game 

 which formed the objects of the " chase " was to " have both 

 eyes torn out." When in 1225, under Henry III., many of the 

 previous forest areas were removed from the protection of 

 the forest laws, the wild game of all kinds became the prey of 

 the country people, and liable to extinction within a few years. 

 About this time the Chartley and, probably, other herds were 

 shut into well-fenced parks to live in a state of nature. 

 They were there free from outside interference, for heavy 

 penalties, including three years' imprisonment, were incurred 

 for trespass. The forests of Scotland and the north of 

 England, especially in hilly regions, formed the last resorts 

 of the wild cattle of the country ; and we consequently find 

 the enclosed herds most numerously represented in the 

 northern regions. Five herds were thus secured in Scotland 

 and five in the county of Durham, two in Lancashire, two in 

 Cheshire, and one in each of the counties of Cumberland, 

 Northumberland, Northampton, Nottingham, Staffordshire, 

 Oxford, and Somerset. There is little doubt that all were 

 drawn from one original common stock, although local 

 characteristics may have crept in even before the animals 

 were enclosed. They had one common feature, in being, so 

 far as is known, white with dark points. Nearly all had 

 black ears and muzzles, brown or red being the exception. 



Extreme in-and-in breeding was the universal rule latterly, 

 if not at first, and the disappearance of the majority of the 

 herds may be mainly traced to the weakened constitutions 

 thus produced, though at times some untoward circumstance 

 tending suddenly to reduce the numbers also came into play. 

 The herds at Auchencruive in Ayrshire, and Leigh Court, 

 Somerset, were destroyed owing to the animals becoming 

 dangerous or troublesome. Some were exterminated during 

 political troubles, and others, like those of Drumlanrig and 

 Blair Atholl, were removed to other places. If tradition be 

 correct, both these latter herds are represented in the still 

 living remnants of the breed. The majority had horns 



