9*2 THE OX AND THE DAIRY. 



sey, a race of black cattle, with rather longer horns than are 

 usually seen in the true middle-horned races, is prevalent. 

 This breed is decidedly in the highest perfection in Angle- 

 sey, and is doubtless of great antiquity. It is of small size, 

 but astonishingly hardy and vigorous : the chest is deep and 

 ample, with a large dewlap ; the barrel is round, the haunches 

 elevated and well-spread, the shoulders rather heavy, the 

 hide mellow, the hair black and curling ; the forehead is flat, 

 and the horns sweep boldly upwards. Vast numbers of these 

 black cattle are bred in the island, and droves are sent into 

 the pasture-lands of England for fattening. Formerly it was 

 the custom to swim the droves across the Straits of Menai, 

 not without danger from the rapidity and force of the cur- 

 rent ; but now the celebrated chain-bridge prevents the 

 necessity of this practice. The number of black cattle an- 

 nually exported from this island has been estimated at ten 

 thousand ; but, of course, this is liable to fluctuation, nor 

 is it easy to obtain an acurate estimate. 



Anglesey is a breeding district exclusively ; it is adapted 

 neither for the dairy nor for feeding. Speaking of the Isle of 

 Anglesey, we are naturally led to the Isle of Man ; for to 

 both these islands the ancients applied the title of Mona 

 a word of uncertain origin, but supposed to be derived from 

 the ancient British word Mon, which means isolated. The 

 cattle of the Isle of Man are generally small, and of Welsh 

 or Scotch breeds, viz. Angleseys, Kyloes, and Galloways, 

 especially in the rude and hilly parts ; but larger breeds 

 of mixed strains have been introduced upon better pasture - 

 lands. 



A native middle-horned race of cattle exists everywhere 

 in Ireland, and particularly in the hilly and mountain districts, 

 where, from its hardiness, it thrives on indifferent pasturage, 

 and contrives unshielded, during the winter months, to find 

 support. There are several varieties of this stock, varying in 

 minor details of size and contour ; but all are of small size, 

 active, and vigorous. Some are of a black colour, like the 

 Anglesey cattle, or those of Argyleshire, with rough curly 

 hair ; others are brindled ; others are mottled red and white ; 

 some, again, are black or brown, with white faces. All fatten 

 rapidly when removed from a moorland pasturage to good 

 feeding lands ; and the cows often prove excellent milkers. 

 Among these the Kerry breed is much esteemed ; it is 

 mottled, but in many points is not unlike the North Devons : 



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