ME. HINDMARSJTS ACCOUNT. 159 



next twenty years ; for the present Lord Tankerville, 

 who succeeded twenty-one years later, informs me that 

 in his father's time they were " a smaller herd than they 

 are now," and that " they increase slowly, several dying 

 each year by accidents or by over-running their calves 

 when disturbed; and the cows breed slowly, owing to 

 having frequently the calves still sucking the second 

 year." 



For further particulars with respect to their habits 

 Lord Tankerville referred Mr. Hindmarsh to old Cole, 

 " who had been park-keeper upwards of thirty years," 

 so that his experience of the cattle would extend to 

 quite the commencement of this century. Mr. Hind- 

 marsh therefore visited Chillingham in June, 1838, and 

 reported as follows : — 



" No sight could be more beautiful than they were 

 when we saw them retreating in regular order into their 

 forest sanctuary. Their perfect symmetry, pure white 

 colour, and fine crescent horns, render them, when moving 

 in a body, a very imposing object. The eyes, eye-lashes, 

 and tips of the horns alone are black ; the muzzle is 

 brown, the inside of the ears red or brown, arid all the 

 rest of the animal white.* Even the bulls have no 

 manes, but only a little coarse hair upon the neck ; and 

 they fight for supremacy until a few of the most power- 

 ful subdue the others, who submit to the rule of superior 

 physical strength. If by accident a bull gets separated 

 from the herd for a day or two, his settled relation seems 

 to be forgotten, for on his rejoining it a fight ensues, 

 and the conflict continues until the previous amicable 



* Mr. Hindtnarsh omits the hoofs, which are also quite black, and, as 

 regards the manes of the bulls, it must be remembered that he saw them 

 in the height of summer, when the hair is comparatively short. 



