WILD WHITE CATTLE. 451 



impracticable, and after all was mastered with considerable difficulty and 

 some danger. The first bull, 4 years old, weighed after being bled, 

 11 cwt. 24 lbs. ; the second, 2 years old, 8 cwt. 8 lbs. The first, beef, 28 

 stone ; tallow, 1 stone 7 lb. ; hide. Second, beef, 24 stone ; tallow, 1 

 stone 4 lb. ; hide ; 24 ounces to the pound. The first, length firm nose 

 to tail, 13 feet; girth behind fore legs, 7 ft. 2 inches. Second, length from 

 nose to tail, 11 ft. 8 in. ; girth behind forelegs, 6 ft. 6 in. — I am, Sir, 

 yours, &c. (Signed) J. G. Caikninses." (Dated 11th Oct. 1817). 



The signature has every appearance of being a pseudonym, 

 and it is almost hopeless to find out the real name of the 

 writer at this distance of time ; but at all events we have these 

 minute details, from an eye-witness, of the Ardrossan herd. 



It might be inferred from his remark about the Drumlani'ig 

 herd, that " Cairninses" had seen it also. Pennant has left us 

 an account (' Tour in Scotland,' ii. p. 134) of the appearance 

 of the Drumlanrig cattle when he saw them about 1770. Gilpin 

 has also put on record some of their peculiarities from personal 

 observation. These two authors differ in the colours they assign 

 to the orbits, ears, and muzzles, Pennant making these parts 

 black, while Gilpin says they were a dark brown, approaching to 

 black. It is believed that this herd was disposed of some time 

 between 1770 and 178U, but where it was sent to remains a 

 mystery. The late Dr. C. Eamage states (' Drumlanrig and the 

 Douglases,' 1876, p. 26) : — " There is a tradition that about a 

 hundred years ago the whole stock was sold, and driven off en 

 masse to Chillingham, the seat of the Earl of Tankerville, in 

 Northumberland, via Durisdeer, and the Wald-path, and as they 

 were rather an unruly drove, they were accompanied to the 

 confines of the county by almost all the men and dogs in the 

 surrounding district." Dr. Bamage made enquiries at Chilling- 

 ham, but was informed by Mr. Jacob Wilson that no record 

 or tradition existed of any such addition to the Chillingham 

 herd. Several versions of this tradition, all substantially the 

 same, exist in Nithsdale to the effect narrated by Dr. Eamage. 

 From the route said to have been taken, the herd was much more 

 likely to have been going to Cadzow rather than Chillingham. 

 There has been a suggestion (Zool. 1878, p. 275) of a "reintroduc- 

 tion" at Hamilton Palace, and if such a surmise is well founded 

 the Drumlanrig cattle may have been taken there after all. 



