HAMILTON BREED OF WILD CATTLE. 203 



ing chased so much when any of them are to be 

 shot, of being so frequently approached and dis- 

 turbed by strangers, and of having been exposed 

 so long to all the vicissitudes of the seasons, and 

 constantly browsing the same pasture, have no 

 doubt contributed greatly to the deterioration of the 

 breed, and must have reduced them much in size 

 and other qualities. 



" The ancient history of this breed is involved in 

 much mystery. From fossil remains, chiefly found 

 in marl-pits, it appears that two species of the ox 

 tribe formerly prevailed in Scotland, namely, the Dos 

 taurus and the Bos urus. Some heads of these, of 

 very large dimensions, are still preserved in the col- 

 lections of the curious. Professor Fleming of Aber- 

 deen informs us, that he has a skull of the former in 

 his possession, measuring 27^ inches in length, 9 

 inches between the horns, and 11^ inches across at 

 the orbits. The accounts of ancient authors certain- 

 ly allude to a species of wild cattle very different in 

 their characters and dimensions from those of the 

 present day. The favourite haunt of these animals 

 in ancient times seems to have been the Caledonia 

 Sylva, or Caledonian Forest, which extended from 

 Stirling, through Menteith and Stratherne, to Athol 

 and Lochaber. It is described by old authors as di- 

 viding the Picts from the Scots ; and, being well fur- 

 nished with game, especially with fierce white bulls 

 and kine, it was the place of both their huntings, arid 

 of their greatest controversies. Some say it took its 



