404 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



of horns, roof of mouth, and circle round eyes; black calves are fre- 

 quently born — ten years ago the average was about three annually. 

 Three years ago a bull, which was considered as a Highland bull, 

 arrived from Kilmory ; it was marked precisely like the Hamilton 

 cattle, but one of its progeny was white all over, and another was 

 black, so the bull and all its stock were killed. The new blood was 

 introduced in consequence of an idea prevailing that the breed 

 was deteriorating from too close breeding. Last year (1886) a 

 bull was procured from Chillingham, and perhaps greater interest 

 attaches to the result of this admixture of blood than any other 

 event in connection with the white herds of recent years. The 

 first two calves were born in March last, and three others some- 

 what later. Four of these were males, and only one a female. 

 Three of the bull calves took after their sire in having brown ears, 

 and have been destroyed. The remaining bull calf is described as 

 beautifully marked, with black points after the Hamilton pattern. 

 The heifer calf has her ears slightly tipped with a few brown hairs, 

 but the keeper thinks she may throw well-marked calves by a 

 Cadzow bull. There is no certain evidence of new blood having 

 previously been introduced into this herd, however unlikely it is 

 (as shown by Storer) that a small number of cattle could have 

 been continually bred only inte?' se for centuries, and the herd 

 still exist. But Sir John Orde was told that one, if not two, 

 Highland bulls bred in the herd some years ago. With regard 

 to what has been recorded as to this herd being formerly polled, 

 the following appears to be fresh evidence : — Joseph Dunbar, a 

 labourer who has been in the ducal service for about fifty years, 

 says that forty-five years ago (say, 1842) the cattle were all hornless, 

 and the present Duke's grandfather caused all showing the least 

 appearance of being horned to be killed. The calves are all born 

 here in spring and early summer ; to insure this the bulls are 

 kept in a run apart from the cows during the greater part of the 

 year. At the present time the Chillingham bull is in a third 

 enclosure with seven cows (in March the Chillingliam bull was by 

 himself, and the ten calves then in existence, in a fourth enclosure). 

 When the grass is scanty, hay and turnips are given, and the cows 

 in addition get a little cotton-seed cake. The keeper (Scott), who 

 has known them for upwards of twenty years, saVs they are mucli 

 less wild and dangerous now than formerly, in consequence of 

 being visited by so many people of late years. 



