170 WILD WRITE CATTLE OF GREAT BRITAIN. 



on a smaller scale ; but this especially struck me in the 

 shape of the land quarters, which I thought were long 

 in proportion to the size of the animal. The hair also 

 seemed somewhat similar to that of Short-horn cattle, 

 and this opinion was further confirmed by Sir Edwin 

 Landseer's pictures at the Castle. I have sometimes 

 seen black Welsh cattle not unlike the Chillingham 

 breed, and the horns in this case were formed in the 

 same way, but not so large, and not set on the head in 

 the same peculiar manner — as if they were constantly 

 expecting an attack from some enemy." In these 

 remarks Mr. Booth altogether concurred. Mr. Thorn- 

 ton, agreeing generally with them, said : " The muzzles 

 were quite black; the ears reddish, particularly inside; 

 and I thought some of the bulls rather steerish about 

 the head." 



Speaking from my own observation, I have no doubt 

 that the above remarks are in the main correct. 

 Rutimeyer, while believing that the Chillingham wild 

 bull is the legitimate descendant of the Urus, yet states 

 that : " Certain it is — and this corresponds exactly with 

 the opinion of Nathusius — that the Chillingham skull 

 shows in no way any marks of that of a wild animal. 

 It is remarkable rather for the uncommon fineness and 

 delicacy of its bones, which are never to be found in 

 the real wild cattle, to examine which I had ample 

 opportunity. I should, therefore, if the skull had come 

 to my hands from an unknown source, never have 

 hesitated to declare that it was not that of a wild 

 animal." Such being the variations in the osteological 

 structure which have taken place in the Chillingham 

 ox, we may, of course, expect to find corresponding 

 changes in the external form, character, and appear- 



