HAMILTON BREED OF WILD CATTLE. 205 



remaining of the establishment of our ancient British 

 and Scottish kings. At present they are objects of 

 great curiosity, both to the inhabitants and to stran- 

 gers visiting the place. During the troubles conse- 

 quent on the death of Charles I., and the usurpation 

 of Cromwell, they were nearly extirpated; but a 

 breed of them having been retained for the Hamil- 

 ton family, by Hamilton Dalzell, and by Lord El- 

 phingstone, at Cumbernauld, they were subsequent- 

 ly restored in their original purity. A tradition pre- 

 vails in the country, that, about a hundred years ago, 

 when it was found necessary, for a time, to remove 

 them from one pasture to another, several hundred 

 individuals, belonging to the different baronies on 

 the ducal estate, were called out, and that they only 

 effected their purpose with much danger and diffi- 

 culty. Instances are recorded of their having been 

 taken when young, and tamed, and even milked. 

 The milk, like that of most white cattle, is describ- 

 ed as thin and watery. The usual number of libs 

 is thirteen on each side ; some have been slaughter- 

 ed with fourteen pair of ribs, but this is exceeding- 

 ly rare. There is no other park of cattle in Scot- 

 land of a similar description." 



In Chillingham Park they roam at large, and 

 there is between 1500 and 1800 acres enclosed, com- 

 bining, besides good pasture, a range of wild and 

 rocky moor, interspersed with abundant wood and 

 cover for their shelter, and approaching as near as 

 ar.y eucluoure can do to the wild nature of their ori- 



