HISTORY. 239 



to Devereux, Earl of Essex, and the cattle have existed in it 

 from time immemorial. 



Those which are kept at Bibbesdale are destitute of horns. 

 The breed at Burton Constable, situated in the district of 

 Holderness, perished all in the course of the last century, of 

 an epidemic disorder. They were of large size, a conse- 

 quence of the richness of the pasture in which they fed. 

 They had the ears, muzzle, and tip of the tail, black. 



Other herds of this race appear to have existed in different 

 parts of England, but they have merged in the common 

 breeds of the country, and the records of them have been 

 lost. Fortunately, however, for the inquiries of the natu- 

 ralist, the same animals are yet to be found in that part of 

 the kingdom where we naturally should look for the exist- 

 ence of an indigenous race of cattle, namely, Wales, under 

 such circumstances as to set at rest the questions that have 

 been agitated regarding the relation which exists between 

 them and the domestic race. 



The ancient Britons, it is known, when their country was 

 overwhelmed by the Roman power, made a brave defence in 

 the mountains beyond the Severn, preserving their flocks 

 and herds, in all times the cherished possession of the Celtic 

 nations. Although overrun for a season by the Roman 

 legions, they defended themselves against the Saxon nations 

 with determined courage, and only yielded at length, at a 

 long posterior period, to the English power, when it became 

 too strong to be resisted ; and even then they retained their 

 customs, their language, and their national feelings. It is 

 here, as in the countries beyond the Grampians, that we must 

 look for the older races of the domestic oxen of the country. 



It appears from various notices, that a race of cattle, 

 similar to that which we now find at Chillingham Park and 

 elsewhere, existed in Wales in the 10th century. Howell 

 Dha, surnamed the Good, describes certain cattle of Wales 

 as being white, and having red ears. At a subseqent period, 

 we are informed that, as a compensation" for offences com- 



