22 EVOLUTION OF BRITISH CATTLE 



breed as a small form, of slender, almost graceful 

 build. The hide is of a uniform yellowish-grey, 

 grey, or brown tint, white patches being un- 

 common. Other characteristics are, a lighter 

 streak round the muzzle, a light iris, a black 

 stripe down the back, the lighter colour of the 

 belly and the inner side of the legs, the occur- 

 rence of lighter coloured hair within the outer 

 ear, and long hairs on the rim of it. The skin 

 and muzzle are always black in colour." ^ While 

 Boyd Dawkins, who dealt with the British Bos 

 longifrons, came to the conclusion that the breed 

 was usually of a dark colour probably black, red, 

 and brindled.^ These authors inferred the colours 

 of the original Bos longifrons from the colours 

 of separate branches of his presumed descendants, 

 while Boyd Dawkins also took into account some 

 specimens of hair which have been found in pre- 

 historic deposits. Both failed to allow for the 

 effects of variation or of intruding breeds or 

 races. With Werner's conclusions we have no 

 immediate concern ; but, as we shall see later, 

 the reds and the brindles which Boyd Dawkins 

 took to be the original natives of Britain were 

 really intruders. 



To show that the British variety of Bos 

 longifrons was black, we must anticipate some 

 part of what is to follow, on the understanding 



* Quoted from McKenny Hughes, op. cit. 

 8 « Cave Hunting." 



