GULLET'S STATEMENT IMPROBABLE. 211 



writer that no proof whatever of this being true for 

 anything like one hundred years exists : much less for 

 several hundred. And then he asserts as roundly that 

 these cattle are in size, and in every excellent quality, 

 " the same as they were five hundred years since " — 

 which he could not in any way know, and which we 

 have every reason to believe is not the case ; for Ruti- 

 meyer and Darwin have pointed out what wonderful 

 changes they have undergone, and there is no cause for 

 thinking that the last five hundred years have been 

 altogether exempt from their share in producing these 

 alterations. 



If men are asked to believe such almost miraculous 

 statements as these, some evidence, strongly presumptive 

 at least, of their credibility should be given. The onus 

 probandi rests upon the assertor. Nothing of the kind 

 has been attempted, because nothing of the kind was 

 possible ; and the conclusions built upon such assertions 

 are altogether worthless. 



Nothing can be known with any certainty as to how 

 the Chillingham cattle have been bred for several hun- 

 dred years, nor whether they have ever been crossed or 

 not. Various collateral circumstances would lead to a 

 presumption, more or less strong, that at certain times 

 they may have received fresh blood. One reason for 

 thinking so is, that previously to the time of Bakewell, 

 whose views had little influence till after the middle of 

 the last century, the idea of in-and-in breeding con- 

 tinuously was totally alien to the minds of all practical 

 men. Culley has himself confirmed this very fully : — 



" The great obstacle to the improvement of domestic 

 animals seems to have arisen from a common prevailing 

 idea amongst breeders, that no bull should be used in 



