THE ZOOLOGIST. 
THIRD SERIES. 
Vou. IT.] AU GANS. -03 7-8: [No. 20. 
A VISIT TO THE EXISTING HERDS OF BRITISH 
WHITE WILD CATTLE. 
By Autrrep Heneacr Cocxs, F.Z.S. 
[Preliminary Remarks. —A considerable degree of interest 
attaches to the few remaining herds of wild white cattle which are 
still preserved in Great Britain, since these animals, according to 
the high authority of Professor Riitemeyer, are less altered from 
the true Bos primigenius type than any other existing breed of 
cattle, although they do not equal in size their wild progenitors, 
Fossil remains of Bos primiyenius, the Urus of Cesar, and also of 
Bos longifrons, a very distinct species of smaller size, both of 
which were domesticated in Britain, are found in the more recent 
tertiary deposits over the greater part of Europe, including the 
British Islands. 
Bos longifrons, a small fine-legged, short-horned animal, is 
called by Prof. Boyd Dawkins the Celtic Short-horn, because it 
was the only domestic ox of the Celts. It was certainly domesti- 
cated, however, before the Celtic invasion, and the term “long-faced 
ox” is perhaps preferable. It was the only ox in Britain in the 
time of the Romans, and afforded sustenance to their legions. 
From it the small dark breeds of Wales and Scotland are descended ; 
and it survived, until recently in Cornwall, Cumberland and West- 
moreland.* The remains of Bos longifrons are plentiful in the 
English fens, and seem to have afforded a staple article of food in 
the neolithic period. Mr. Sydney Skertchly has found immense 
* Skertchly, ‘Fenland, Past and Present,’ p. 343. 
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