24 ORIGIN OF POLLED RACES OF CATTLE. 



Others believe that it had sprung from Galloway polled 

 cattle introduced in the last century, probably soon after 

 the union of England and Scotland, when, as has already 

 been stated, a large number of cattle were driven every 

 year from Galloway and elsewhere in the south of Scot- 

 land into Norfolk and other parts of England. Youatt 

 in particular adopted the latter notion as to the origin 

 of the breed. He says that the polled cattle which he 

 found in both Norfolk and Suffolk (about 1832 to 1835), 

 and which are recognised as one breed, had " undoubtedly 

 sprung from the Galloway." It has been stated that in 

 1765 a herd of semi-wild polled cattle was introduced 

 to Gunton Park, Norfolk, from Lancashire. These wild 

 cattle became domesticated in Norfolk ; and it is believed 

 by some that they also have had a share in the build- 

 ing up of the improved Norfolk and Suffolk polls. In 

 a volume published a few years ago at ' The Field ' Office, 

 London, Mr John Coleman the editor of the work, who 

 is himself a Norfolk man, and one of the best living 

 authorities upon the subject in his article on this breed, 

 admits the probability of the Galloway polls being in the 

 main its progenitors, but claims part of the credit to an 

 " old native race." He says : " From a very early period 

 large numbers of polled Galloway cattle were brought 

 into the counties of Norfolk and Suffolk. There can be 

 little doubt that these were crossed with one or other 

 (probably both) of the native races, and that thus the 

 present breed of Norfolk and Suffolk red polled cattle 

 was called into existence." The characteristic colour of 

 this breed is a deep blood-red. Formerly, according to 

 Youatt, some were black, some red mixed with white, and 

 some black mixed with white, all having a "golden circle 

 about the eye." In recent years the breed has been greatly 

 improved, and it now ranks creditably among English 

 cattle. 



