156 WILD WHITE CATTLE OF GREAT BRITAIN. 



It would seem from this statement that " my 

 Lorde's wilde beasts " were scarcely so wild then as 

 they are now : at least, their range was apparently more 

 circumscribed ; for it looks as if they were not ordi- 

 narily admitted to the " Upparke," though they may 

 have been at certain times. But their supposed wild 

 origin is thus strongly confirmed, for nearly two cen- 

 turies since they were called " wilde beasts," the very 

 name by which the Chartley cattle also went ; and in 

 both places, so remote from each other, and, I might 

 add, in many others, the tradition and belief with regard 

 to their wild origin was the same. 



" With respect to the habits of the Chillingham wild 

 cattle," says the late Lord Tanker ville in his letter to 

 Mr. Hindmarsh, "it is probable that you will learn 

 more from Cole, who has been park-keeper at Chilling- 

 ham for many years, than from any information that I 

 can give. I can mention, however, some particulars. 

 They have, in the first place, pre-eminently all the 

 characteristics of wild animals, with some peculiarities 

 that are sometimes very curious and amusing. They 

 hide their young, and feed in the night, basking or 

 sleeping during the day. They are fierce when pressed, 

 but, generally speaking, very timorous, moving off on 

 the appearance of any one even at a great distance ; yet 

 this varies very much in different seasons of the year, 

 and according to the manner in which they are ap- 

 proached. In summer I have been for several weeks at 

 a time without getting a sight of them — they, on the 

 slightest appearance of any one, retiring into a wood, 

 which serves them as a sanctuary. On the other hand, in 

 winter, when coming down for food into the inner park, 

 and being in constant contact with people, they will let 



