ON THE HERDS OF WILD CATTLE IN THE PARKS OF GREAT BRITAIN. 137 



instead be sent to build up a new herd, which, combining the blood of the 

 only remaining ancient herds, and with no artificial selection exercised, 

 might be expected to revert more nearly to the aboriginal wild type than 

 could be achieved in any other manner. 



Hamilton (Gaclzoiv). — On August 22 last the herd was made up 

 somewhat as under : — Bulls : 2, six years old ; 1, five years old ; 2, three 

 years old; 6, two years old; five calves; total, 16 bulls. Females: 25 

 cows, four years old and upwards ; 10 heifers, two years old ; 9 yearlings 

 and calves ; total, 44 females. Total, 60 head (against 54 at the beginning 

 of the year). 



The coloration and markings are tolerably uniform, though ten years 

 ago, at any rate, there was a variety in the amount of black on the out- 

 side of the ears, and in a slight degree in the amount on the muzzle. 

 Any that are defective in their points are slaughtered or made into steers ; 

 there are none of the latter at the present moment in the park, but two 

 were shot last October, and some of the young bulls will be operated on 

 in the fall. 



There is -a good deal of black on the forelegs in this herd, the hoofs 

 are black, also tips of horns, roof of mouth, and circle round eyes ; black 

 calves are frequently bom, 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 somewhat 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 

 inter 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 hei'e in spring and early summer ; to ensure 

 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 

 1 Storer, Wild White CaUle, p. 342. 



