230 THE CATTLE OP GREAT BRITAIN. 



montlis allotted by the law. Guernsey men, however, were not 

 to be done in this way. They knew that such an excuse meant 

 one of two things — either that the owners wished to keep them 

 for cows, or had an idea of passing them off in England as 

 Gruemsey cattle, and they were too proud of their reputation to 

 allow themselves to be thus robbed of it by interlopers. They, 

 therefore, once again appealed to the Eoyal Court, not only to 

 turn a deaf ear to such excuses, but to forbid for a time the 

 importation altogether, lest a fatal blow should be struck at this 

 their favourite branch of industry. And, in ready compliance, 

 the Court decreed that it is now forbidden to import from 

 France or elsewhere any heifer whatever under the penalty of 

 confiscation and a fine not exceeding 101. for each heifer ; also 

 that all masters of vessels carrying cattle are bound, within 

 twenty-four hours of their arrival, to furnish a list to the 

 constables of the parish in which they are landed, under a 

 penalty not exceeding bl. sterling. 



We have said at the beginning of our article that Guernsey- 

 men will not tolerate admixture into their breed of cattle even 

 from the neighbouring island. In this respect the Guernsey 

 people are much more exclusive than the inhabitants of the 

 larger island of Jersey; and it is this exclusiveness which is 

 their boast and pride. It may be, and indeed is the case, that 

 the breeds of the other islands derive advantage from their 

 admixture with Guernseys — for instance, the old and well- 

 known breed of Alderneys, which is now nearing extinction, 

 have by this means become assimilated to the Guernseys. But, 

 like the Arabs with their horses, Guernsey has ever kept, and 

 boasts of her determination still to keep, her breed of cattle 

 distinct and separate ; and hence the law is made equally 

 binding on the importation of cattle from the sister island as 

 from foreign ports. 



Acts of the Royal Court have, as we have said, been enforced 

 from time to time, and in no case have the measures been 

 repealed or made less forcible. On the contrary, the system at 

 the present time adopted is even more decided than any we 

 have quoted. For instance, it is now forbidden to import bulls 

 under any pretence whatever ; and, moreover, it has become an 

 impossibility for spurious breeds to be exported from the island 



