204 THE WHITE URrS, OR 



iiame from Calder, which signifies a hazel, or com- 

 n,on nut-hu8h. The Roman historians delight much 

 to talk of the furious white bulls which the Forest of 

 Caledonia brought forth. In these early days, they 

 are represented as of large size, and as possessing 

 jubar* denscim, ac demissam instar leonis ; or, as 

 Holinshed has it, * crisp and curled manes like feirs 

 leonis/ At what period this great forest was destroy- 

 ed, and the white cattle extirpated, is uncertain. Sir 

 Robert Sibbald describes them, in his time, as de- 

 nuded of their manes. In the sixteenth century, 

 they seem to have become entirely extinct as a wild 

 race, and, as we learn from Gesner, < were all slain, 

 except in that part which is called Cummernad.' 

 Another author informs us, that ' thocht thir bullis 

 were bred in sindry boundis of the Colidin Wod, now 

 be continewal hunting and lust of insolent men, they 

 a e destroyit in all parts of Scotland, and nane of 

 them left but allenerlie in Cumernald.' At what 

 period the present breed were introduced to the 

 royal chase at Cadzow, cannot now be well ascertain- 

 ed. It is well known that the Cummings were at 

 one period proprietors of Cadzow and Cumbernauld, 

 and it is likely that in their time the white cattle 

 were in both places. But be that as it may, they 

 have long been extirpated at Cumbernauld, while 

 they have been preserved in great perfection at Ha- 

 milton. The universal tradition in Clydesdale is, 

 that they have been at Cadzow from the remotest 

 antiquity ; and the probability is, that they are a part 



