COW KIND. 231 



every year a new ring is added at the root ; so 

 that, allowing three years before their appearance, 

 and then reckoning the number of rings, we have, 

 in both together, the animal's age exactly. 



As we have, indisputably, the best breed of 

 horned cattle of any in Europe, so it was not 

 without the same assiduity that we came to excel 

 in these as in our horses. The breed of cows 

 has been entirely improved by a foreign mixture, 

 properly adapted to supply the imperfections of 

 our own. Such as are purely British, are far in- 

 ferior in size to those on many parts of the con- 

 tinent ; but those which we have thus improved, 

 by far excel all others. Our Lincolnshire kind 

 derive their size from the Holstein breed; and 

 the large hornless cattle that are bred in some 

 parts of England came originally from Poland. 

 We were once famous for a wild breed of these 

 animals, but these have long, since been worn 

 out;* and perhaps no kingdom in Europe can 



[* In the " General View of the Agriculture of the County of Northum- 

 berland, drawn up for the consideration of the Board of Agriculture," there 

 is an interesting account of the Wild Cattle still found in Lord Tankervillc's 

 Park at Chillingham, near Berwick-upon- Tweed. They are the only re- 

 mains in this country, it is believed, of the true and genuine breed of that 

 species. 



" Their colour is invariably whitej muzzle black ; the whole of the inside 

 of the ear, and about one-third of the outside, from the tip downwards, red ; 

 horns white, with black tips, very fine, and bent upwards. Some of the bnlls 

 have a thin upright mane, about an inch and a half or two inches long. 

 The weight of the oxen is from 35 to 45 stone, and the cows from 25 to 35 

 stone the four quarters, 14 Ib. to the stone. The beef is finely marbled, and 

 of excellent flavour. 



" From the nature of their pasture, and the frequent agitation they are put 

 into by the curiosity of strangers, it cannot be expected they should get very 

 fat; yet the six years' old oxen are generally very good beef; from whence 

 it may be fairly supposed, that in proper situations they would feed well. 



