XI 



BLENDING AND SORTING 



The East-country Dutch cattle — the Shorthorns 

 — pursued a course somewhat similar to that of 

 the Longhorns, In the territory they had won, 

 however, they mingled much less with the 

 natives, but rather drove them out before them. 

 As we have already seen, they pressed north- 

 wards, and a branch, bending westwards, shared 

 in producing the modern Ayrshire. No doubt, 

 native blood was absorbed here and there, only 

 for its outward tokens to be eliminated again in 

 a few generations. 



But in Yorkshire there was a permanent 

 amalgamation from which the modern Shorthorn 

 is descended. Storer^ mentions a number of 

 herds of domestic white cattle in the north of 

 England, some of which, if not all, were in 

 existence before the Dutch invasion. In the 

 first half of the eighteenth century stock were 

 distributed from at least one of these herds, 

 Studley Royal, near Ripon, which had at that 

 time a high reputation over West Yorkshire 

 » " Wild White Cattle of Great Britain." 



122 



