CHAPTER V. 



THE CHANNEL ISLANDS BREEDS. 

 The Jersey, The Alderney, and The Guernsey 



The Jersey cow and her origin have occupied the mind of many his- 

 torians, yet it cannot be stated with any degree of certainty, when 

 the beautiful deer-like animals we see in our grassy parks, were 

 originally evoluted. If they are the direct descendants of an abor- 

 iginal breed, it is certain they must have passed through many refin- 

 ing stages long before reaching the Islands of Jersey. 



Professor Boyd Dawkin, as the result of his investigations as to 

 the origin of the small breeds of British cattle, believes that the "Bos 

 Longifrons" or Cejtic Shorthorn an animal that never was aborigin- 

 ally wild in Europe is the progenitor of all the smaller breeds of 

 cattle, including the Jersey, Brittany, Kerry, and Ayrshire breeds. 

 He contends that the "Bos Longifrons" was domesticated in the East, 

 and in a domesticated state was introduced into Western Europe. 

 The only species of domesticated ox he met with in the refuse heaps 

 of the British Isles, ranging from the neolithic age down to the time 

 of the British invasion, and is represnted now by the small Highland 

 cattle, the small Welsh, and the small Irish cattle 



The description given o>f the "Bos Longifrons" of Lnclia is interest- 

 ing, and may p'rove of value to those interested in the origin of any 

 of the smaller British breeds, particularly the Jersey. "The color is 

 chocolate-brown, deepening in shade underneath the lower part of the 

 legs being a dirty yellowi/sh-white. The shoulder is raised, not, 

 however, into a hump, like that of the common buffalo, but into a 

 kind of ridge, giving the idea of the spine beginning at thej shoulder, 

 had been raised and carried some little distance further back, and 

 then allowed to drop suddenly into the ordinary level of the back. 

 "Their milk, although not abundant, is extremely rich in butter-fat, 

 which is highly coloured." 



The following extract is from the Journal of the Royal Agricul- 

 tural Society of England: "There can be little doubt that, by the rich 

 soil and genial climate of Jersey, a native breed of cattle, originally 

 of a smaller character to those of Brittany and Kerry, has i been fos- 

 tered into a special excellency, which the pastures of the North-West 

 of France and Ireland could not impart. A feeling of the inhabitants 

 Against the French cattle seems to have prevailed for years. One 

 of the earliest historians (Rev. Phillip Falle), as far back as 1734, 

 wrote that 'the cattle of this island are superior to the French,' and 

 Thomas Quayle, in 1812, considered that 'the treasure highest in the 

 Jerseyman's estimation is his cow.' The same spirit that now exists 

 among the farmer of the island, to preserve the purity of their breed, 

 doubtless actuated their forefathers over a century ago. Acts of the 

 States of Jersey were passed in 1763, 1789, 1826, and 1864, prohibit- 

 ing, under heavy penalties (200, and confiscation of the cattle and 

 boat) the introduction of cow, heifer, or bull from France." Strange 

 to say, these Acts did not prohibit the importation of English cattlr, 

 as both Durhnnis and Ayrshires were introduced, but for what pur- 

 ,pOe is not clearly de.fined. 



Of the Channel Islands breed of cattle very little i- written pri-ir to 

 the beginning of the nineteenth century, and most of the contributions 



128. 



