AUTHOR'S INTRODUCTION. xix 



superior quality of the beef of the "Wild Cattle, as being 

 in flavour and excellence far more delicious than that 

 of any other breed. Where partially domesticated, 

 they were generally found most valuable in consequence 

 of their milking powers ; and there are sufficient indi- 

 cations to lead us to believe that they were formerly of 

 large size. 



It may seem somewhat strange to people now, con- 

 sidering that White Cattle are still seen very frequently, 

 to assert that the herds of that colour, which can be 

 traced to a very high antiquity, are to be regarded, on 

 account of their being of that colour, as of a peculiar race. 

 Yet history plainly indicates that in Great Britain this 

 was in reality the case. Ancient laws and allusions show 

 us clearly that the white cow or bull, with red or black 

 ears, was preferred to all others. This was the breed 

 especially selected by great men and religious bodies to 

 retain — much more frequently than now — in their en- 

 closed domains ; and we cannot for an instant doubt that 

 it was so selected on account of its superior value, or 

 that its distinctiveness and peculiarity of colour with 

 reference to other breeds was formerly much more highly 

 prized than it is in the present day. The greater part 

 of these herds — and especially those belonging to the 

 monasteries — became fused with the ordinary cattle of 

 the country some three hundred years ago ; and even 

 where this was not the case, their improving influence 

 was probably considerable. In the following pages the 

 reasons for and the nature of this influence will be 

 attempted to be shown. 



The origin of the British White Cattle is obscure. 

 On the one hand, local tradition, in many parts of the 

 country far separated from each other, declares some of 



