THE GLAMORGAN BREED. 357 



a fine undulating vale, mostly on a substratum of carbonifer- 

 ous limestone. From time immemorial, this part of Wales 

 has been distinguished for the production of numerous herds 

 of cattle. " The air," says Speed, " is temperate, and gives 

 more content to the mind than the soile doth fruit, or ease 

 unto travellers ; the hills being high and very many, which, 

 from the north notwithstanding, are lessened as it were by 

 degrees ; and towards the sea-coasts the country becometh 

 somewhat plain, which part is the best, both for plenty of 

 grain and populous of inhabitants. The rest, all mountain, 

 is replenished with cattel, which is the best means to wealth 

 which this shire doth afford ; upon whose hills you may be- 

 hold whole herds of them feeding; and from whose rocks 

 most clear springing waters through the valleys trinkling, 

 which sportingly do pass with a most pleasant sound ." 



The cattle of Glamorganshire, naturalized in a tract of 

 country differing somewhat in its vegetable productions from 

 the higher parts of Wales, have assumed a class of charac- 

 ters proper to themselves. The colour of the hair, like that 

 of the Devons, tends to red, in place of the black character- 

 istic of the races of the higher country ; but the skin pos- 

 sesses the same orange colour which distinguishes the Pem- 

 broke and allied breeds, manifesting an identity of origin in 

 these races. It has been imagined by some that the pecu- 

 liarities of the Glamorgan breed are due to foreign intermix- 

 ture, and this has been referred to so remote a period as the 

 age of William Rufus, when certain Norman knights seized 

 violently upon the country, and partitioned it amongst them- 

 selves and their retainers. But this country possessed its 

 native cattle long before the Normans had acquired a footing 

 in it, and the pursuits of these barbarous soldiers were far 

 other than the improvement of flocks and herds. Rapine, 

 the chase, and warlike exercises, occupied their thoughts ; 

 and the occupations of peaceful industry were left to their 

 dependants, too ignorant and oppressed to think of any thing 

 beyond the rude wants of their condition. In such a state 



