180 WILD WHITE CATTLE OF GREAT BRITAIN. 



strongly developed horns ; and we all agreed that it 

 could not be less than a year and a half, but was pro- 

 bably much nearer two years old. Michie deprecated 

 this, and wished it could be prevented, being decidedly 

 of opinion that the length of time the calves are often 

 suckled interferes much with the fecundity of their 

 mothers. Lord Tankerville has also expressed to me a 

 similar opinion ; and from my own experience with 

 respect to domestic cattle, and from what I heard and 

 saw at Chartley, I have a strong impression that such is 

 actually the case. By this time the day had become 

 really hot, and the flies being troublesome, the herd, 

 though on the whole stationary, kept moving somewhat 

 irritably among themselves. They did not take much 

 notice of us, nor seem to be at all alarmed; but 

 some of the older cattle, both cows and bulls, occa- 

 sionally turned towards us, and looked at us jealously 

 and suspiciously; and it was quite clear to me that, 

 fearing we might mean mischief, they always kept 

 us well in view. At last some of the younger ones 

 began to draw off a little, and the older cattle showing 

 a disposition to follow, we turned the cart round and 

 quietly retired. 



We returned to the Castle, inspected its beautiful 

 grounds, and examined the large baronial venison larder, 

 so constructed that the carcase of one of the wild bulls 

 can be hung up by the heels. A simple method for 

 preserving the meat, which we were assured in no way 

 injures its flavour, was there in use. On the stone 

 floor stood an iron vessel, resembling a glue-pot. In 

 damp weather every day, in dry weather on alternate 

 days only, two table-spoonfuls of sulphur, alias flour of 

 brimstone, are placed in it, and (the windows and doors 



