2 WILD WHITE CATTLE OF GREAT BRITAIN. 



presumed, distinct species, for " they co-existed in 

 different parts of Europe during the same period, and 

 yet kept distinct. Their domesticated descendants, on 

 the other hand, if not separated, cross with the utmost 

 freedom, and become commingled." 



Following Darwin, who himself follows Nilsson and 

 Butimeyer, we find that the two principal fossil species, 

 and those from which all our British cattle probably 

 descend, were : — (1) Bos urus (antiquorum), or Bos primi- 

 genius (recentiorum) — a colossal ox, with enormous horns, 

 larger than those of any known domestic race ; these, 

 near the roots, were directed outward and somewhat back- 

 ward, in the middle they were bent forward, and towards 

 the points turned a little upward. They were generally 

 round, the diameter of them varying very slightly in 

 whatever direction taken. The forehead was concave, 

 the edge of the neck straight. (2) Bos longifrons (alias 

 Brachyceros) — the small Celtic short-horned ox. The 

 following description of it is partly taken from Professor 

 Nilsson,* partly from my own observations : — The 

 forehead, somewhat flat, has a very prominent ridge 

 standing up along the middle, and a smaller indenting 

 backwards ; the horns are much flattened and compressed, 

 small, and directed outwardly upwards, and bent in one 

 direction forwards. From the slender make of its 

 bones, its body must rather have resembled that of a deer 

 than our common tame ox ; its legs at the extremities are 

 certainly shorter and also thinner than those of a crown 

 deer (full-antlered stag). The skull is long and narrow, 

 even more so than that of a deer. The rest of the 



* Paper on " The Extinct and Existing Bovine Animals of Scandinavia," 

 by Professor Nilsson, of Lund, in Ann. and Mag. of Nat. Hist., vol. ii., 

 Second Series. 



