THE OLD SHORT-HORN COUNTRY. 19 



or three gallons at a meal." This type took its 

 name from the district of Holderness in South- 

 eastern Yorkshire, About this time cattle were 

 imported from continental Europe into the 

 Eastern counties. These consisted chiefly of 

 large white Dutch or Flanders cows. It is also 

 said that bulls were brought in from Holland 

 and used on some of the herds of York and 

 Durham. These Dutch cattle should not, how- 

 ever, be confused with the modern Holstein- 

 Friesians. It is said that Michael Dobinson 

 and Sir William St. Quintin both of whom 

 were among the earliest possessors of old-time 

 short-horned herds imported and used Dutch 

 bulls. These various types were all of a very 

 crude sort when contrasted with the breed 

 finally evolved from them, and as we are more 

 interested in the result than in speculation as 

 to the remote origin of the race we need not 

 dwell upon them. 



Earliest known breeders. It is claimed that 

 a short-horned type of cattle existed on the 

 Yorkshire estates of the Earls and Dulies of 

 Northumberland for a period of two hundred 

 years prior to 1780. Herds of short-horned 

 stock had also been in the possession of the 

 Smithsons of Stan wick as early as the middle 

 of the seventeenth century. The Aislabies of 

 Studley Royal and Blacketts of Newby were 

 likewise fond of good cattle and paid great at- 



