ATAVISM, OR REVERSION. 43 



how long after the total extinction of the Long- 

 horn in this part of the world a calf would 

 appear with the notable Long-horn mark of a 

 white stripe down the backbone a mark, I be-' 

 lieve, peculiar to that breed. 



From a cattle-breeder's standpoint this rever- 

 sion to an archaic type is rarely a matter of 

 much importance. It is of frequent occurrence 

 in small things; thus, a black nose not infre- 

 quently crops out to the puzzle of the breeder 

 till it is traced to a distant grandsire. Pecu- 

 liarities of horn, of carriage, and many other 

 similar features constantly admonish the close 

 observer that "atavism" is a very real thing. 



Not infrequently in a somewhat earlier day 

 the breeders of polled cattle found this law of 

 reversion a deterrent factor in their efforts to 

 fix a hornless character on their breeds. It is 

 now well settled that our polled cattle, cer- 

 tainly those of British origin, came from a 

 horned type. The historical evidence, which 

 for this purpose is almost conclusive, and the 

 geological record agree upon this point with 

 the greatest exactness. Long after the polled 

 breeds of England and Scotland had become 

 well recognized as distinct hornless breeds 

 animals would appear of the most undoubted 

 purity of blood with horns. The atavic char- 

 acter of such phenomena is obvious. Not only 

 is this true of British breeds, but of other sim- 



