CHAPTER X. 

 THE PECULIARITIES OF BREED. 



In reviewing what has been written of the sources and proinv-.- 

 of our breeds of cattle, we must endeavour to keep in mind that 

 notwithstanding the. conflicting testimony of many well known 

 authorities, we are bound to recognise the "Celtic Shorthorn" (Bos 

 Longifrons) as the aboriginal domesticated ox of the British Tsles, 

 the only ox possessed by the Romanised Britons; and the oniv .,\ 

 of which we have any traces among the remains of man nf y.n 

 earlier period than that of the Saxon invasion. It was a small, 

 dark-colored ox, and is believed to be most truly 'represented, at 

 the present time, by the cattle .of the Highlands, and the western and 

 northern islands of Scotland, of the north and south of Wales, and 

 of the Kerry Mountains, in Ireland. 



No doubt, therefore, but what the smaller breeds must be classed 

 with the Longifron group. It is, however, difficult to classify breeds 

 like the Longhorns, Galloways, and Durham Shorthorns (the Uyo 

 latter being complete modern breeds}, with the Irish, Welsh, and 

 Scotch breeds, to which we have just referred, and which do not ap- 

 pear to have undergone much, if any. alteration by crossing; but 

 to have retained the original characteristics of their race, subject 

 to such modifications only as climate, pasturage, and the various con- 

 ditions of life generally would be likely to effect in the course of 

 many centuries. Some of the larger polled breeds appear to be but 

 little removed from the Longifrons type, except in their hornless 

 character, and the alteration of the crown of the head, caused by 

 alteration in both the bone structure and the hair, which accom- 

 panies, or immediately follows, the hereditary loss of the horn. On 

 the other hand it is thought that the Aberdeen Angus shows descent 

 from a larger species of ox, and that also traces of a larger ancestor 

 are found in the polled cattle of Nor.folk and Suffolk; but exactly 

 how these conclusions are arrived at is not easily defined. Whether 

 all the polled breeds derive that character from on? original source 

 alone, or from two or more sources, is a que^ti )n which does not 

 affect the present distinctness of any one of their., arc! may, there- 

 fore, be left in the hands of naturalists for iurther investigation 

 and enlightenment. 



We have the undisputed testimony of science and practical exr 

 pcrience to show that it is quite possible and, time granted, not 

 difficult to transfer the peculiarity of one breed, or of one individual 

 to millions of individuals of various breeds without disturbing 

 the constancy of transmission of the distinguished properties of 

 these breeds further than in a single alteration. It was in this 

 way many of the combinations of peculiarities in breeds have been 

 produced. For instance, it has been found possible to unite in 

 one breed o-f poultry, topknot, whiskers, and beard, ten toes, feather- 

 ed legs, and vulture hocks. These, perhaps, all excesses which would 

 be more wisely avoided than sought. But so long as wayward 

 fancy is a ruling power, there is no saying to what length absurdities 

 may go. Tin some of our more useful breeds of live-stock, m r re 

 notably poultry which are easy victims to depravity of taste we 

 have to tolerate positive deformities, characteristics that are n t 

 only ugly .no useless, but absolutely b-ul which ha'-<" been rmposed 

 in wanton phantasy. Now they cannot be disassociated frnn the 

 breeds without loss of time and risk of loss of absolute merit, by 

 the system of crossing which would be necessary, especially where 



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