154 THE CATTLE OP GREAT BRITAIN. 



Stranraer, that being the nearest market to the port of disem- 

 barkation, and at that time the great mart for Irish cattle in 

 Scotland, and was regularly attended by graziers from long 

 distances. In those days, and down to a much later date, the 

 father of the writer was constantly in the habit of riding on 

 horseback out of Ayrshire, a distance of thirty miles, to attend 

 this market, returning home the same night. The great object 

 of the purchaser was to select those most nearly resembling 

 the native Galloway. As already stated, great numbers were 

 possessed of horns ; some were very small and loose to the touch, 

 appearing to be only attached to the skin, whilst many were of 

 a fixed and more prominent character. The matter of horns 

 was considered of minor importance compared with that of 

 hair and colour, and the closeness in general contour with which 

 they approached the approved type. In order to obviate the 

 difficulty and remove the objectionable appearance, the Irish 

 breeders and cattle dealers had recourse to the following 

 stratagem : the animal was cast in the usual way, and when 

 properly secured, a sharp knife was passed round the base of 

 the horn, severing the skin and fleshy part ; a fine-toothed 

 handsaw was then inserted into the incision, and the horn 

 and pith cleanly sawn off level with the skull. To prevent 

 haemorrhage, the protruding ends of the arteries were either 

 secured by a needle and fine silk, or else they were seared with a 

 hot iron. A circular patch of coarse linen, corresponding in size 

 to the base of the horn, was dipped in moderately hot tar or 

 pitch, and placed on the wound ; three thicknesses of this were 

 generally used, and stitched round the edges to the hair, to 

 prevent them peeling off before the wound had healed up. This 

 was undoubtedly a cruel operation, yet, when skilfully per- 

 formed, we believe it was seldom attended with fatal results. 

 It is but fair to state that the operation was only performed on 

 those animals more nearly resembling the native Galloway. At 

 that time many of the Irish-bred cattle had a line of white or 

 ashy brown along the ridge of the back ; nothing could be 

 gained from removing the horns of such, as the merest tyro 

 could at once recognise their lineage. 



It has been asserted by some that the Galloway breed was 

 greatly deteriorated from its having been crossed with the Irish. 



