98 THE OX AND THE DAIRY 



paribus, a proportionate increase of traffic, it may be con- 

 cluded, has taken place ; but we have no returns upon which 

 to form a correct estimate. Certain it is that cattle may be 

 shipped at an Irish seaport one day, and landed in England 

 on the next ; whereas, formerly, they were often detained, by 

 stress of weather, for days at sea, the vessel being driven far 

 out of her course, and the cattle all the time suffering for 

 want of food and water. 



Turning to Scotland, it may be observed, that from the 

 most remote times, this land of heath and mountain has been 

 the nursery of an original breed or race of black cattle, of 

 wild aspect, of beautiful symmetry, and though small, yet 

 vigorous and hardy ; patient of hunger and cold, and rapidly 

 fattening on tolerable land. These cattle are middle-horned ; 

 the head is short, broad, and flat across the forehead, and 

 adorned with elegantly-turned horns ; the muzzle is fine, the 

 eye bright and large, the body compact, and the limbs short, 

 clean, and muscular. Several varieties may be noticed ; and 

 of these the western race, occupying the Hebrides, or Western 

 Islands, and the adjacent parts of the mainland, is the most 

 pure. Change the colour from black to white, and there is 

 little difference between a beautiful kyloe from Arran, Islay, 

 or the Isle of Skye, and one of the wild cattle of Chillingham. 

 If we may venture an opinion, they display more nearly than 

 any other breed the characters of the mountain cattle of our 

 island when invaded by Caesar. "We say the mountain cattle, 

 oecause we suspect that a larger and heavier long-horned race 

 even then tenanted the swampy plains and low grounds of 

 many portions of the country. 



The kyloes, or black cattle of the western isles and High- 

 lands of Scotland, constitute the chief wealth of that portion 

 of Caledonia. The Hebrides alone, including Long Island 

 (composed of Lewis, Uist, and others), are calculated to con- 

 tain a hundred and fifty or sixty thousand head of these cattle, 

 of which perhaps thirty thousand annually cross the ferries for 

 the mainland, whence great numbers find their way into the 

 parks and pasture-lands of England, even to the southern coast. 



It must not be supposed that the droves speedily reach 

 their southern destination; on the contrary, their journey is 

 very protracted, and broken by long intervals. During the 

 first winter, they are allowed to graze in the pastures of the 

 north ; and then, as the spring advances, are driven farther 

 south. As they proceed in this manner from stage to stage, 



