396 TRANSACTIONS OF THE 



yields a fair proportion of excellent milk, according to its size, 

 and fattens quickly, and when fed prove excellent milkers. This 

 breed now partakes of many of the traits of the early English cat- 

 tle, which were small, hardy, healthy, good and spirited for work. 

 It is in its native state looked upon as an inferior breed, as all the 

 original races in England, were in the days of the Edwards and 

 Henrys. Many of these cattle have come into Maine. 



The Holderness cattle, are an ancient race, which existed from 

 very early times on the western coast of Europe, extending from 

 the Baltic Sea to the confines of France. They were celebrated 

 for the great quantities of milk which they yielded, and some of 

 them had an extraordinary aptitude to fatten. They were intro- 

 duced into the northern and eastern parts of England at a very 



early period. 



Durham Oxen and Cows. 



This race of cattle have been called the Teeswater cattle, from 

 the river Tees, in the north of England. The breed were brought 

 into the north and eastern parts of England before we have any 

 historical accounts put on record. The counties of York and 

 Durham, in England, were the original location of this breed. 

 The old Durhams were said to be slow feeders, but since 1801, 

 the race has been crossed on tlie Red Galloway, or Scotch or polled 

 cattle, and is now called the best stock of England. One of these 

 oxen weighed 3,780 lbs., live weight; and when slaughtered, the 

 carcase was supposed to weigh 3,180 lbs. These are among the 

 largest cattle now in England. The original Durhams were said 

 to have been first crossed on the wild white breed of cattle of 

 Chillingham Park, in the county of Northumberland, and in Lan- 

 cashire; also, they were formerly much crossed with the bulls 

 and cows from Holland. At this day the new Durhams are a 

 recent and artificial race of cattle, with very few of the original 

 types remaining. Holderness is in Yorkshire, England, but this 

 section of England was formerly more mixed with Dutch cattle 

 than any other. Great bulls were formerly brought over from 

 Holland, and esteemed the criterion of perfection for cattle. These 

 Dutch cattle were used to improve the breed of Short-horns com- 

 ing down to 1790; this was before the improved Durham cattle 



