108 CATTLE LONGHORNS 



fine and more tapering.] The animals did not grow so quickly 

 as the present cattle, but they were less dainty, required less 

 food and less attention, and were heavier and better beasts 

 in the end. An ordinary bull ran up to 20 stones of beef 

 per quarter, but the beef was not so fine, being both dark 

 and coarse. After the Longhorn blood was nearly bred out 

 of the Fell cattle by the repeated use of Shorthorn bulls, it 

 was found necessary to restore the hardiness of the progeny 

 by the use now and then of West Highland bulls. 



Curiously enough, a connection between the West High- 

 land and Longhorn breeds is indicated by the progeny of 

 Highland cows by a light roan Shorthorn bull, frequently 

 assuming one of the recognised colours of the Longhorn, 

 viz., a mealy-red roan with a broad white ridge along the 

 back. Sir James Sivewright annually breeds a number of 

 these and of Galloway crosses at Tallyallan Castle in Fife- 

 shire. The hair of their winter coats is more ruddy and 

 much harder than those of Galloway Shorthorn crosses, which 

 are easily distinguished from them. 



The historical preface to Vol. I. of the Herd Book says : 



"In 1864, the last remaining herd of Longhorns in 

 Cumberland was sold, belonging to Isaac Fletcher of Riggs, 

 Wythop, and the general opinion of the breed in that 

 district was, that for hardihood of constitution, richness of 

 milk, and small consumption of food, they were unrivalled ; 

 thriving well in the hardest winter without any roots ; seldom 

 requiring shelter, from their thick hides and strong coats ; but 

 they were considered slow growers in arriving at maturity." 



In no important particular, except probably in mild- 

 ness of disposition, do present-day Longhorns resemble 

 Shorthorns. Their colouring is very different. 



" The white line along the back, with a white patch or 

 mark on the thigh, is looked upon as strictly orthodox ; 

 occasionally purely bred animals are found entirely self- 

 coloured, whilst in others the sides of the body may be either 

 red, brindled, a grizzly roan, or any of these colours inter- 

 mixed with small white specks or flakes." 



The colour most admired is the dark brindle with rather 

 a bluish tint, and the white line along the back. At its 

 best this coat has " a bloom like that of a ripe grape." 



The long, irregularly shaped, sweeping horns form another 



