250 WILD WHITE CATTLE OF GREAT BRITAIN. 



her two daughters. The elder daughter, three years old, 

 and in calf to the Lyme bull, was by the Chartley bull, 

 and is unfortunately of that dark colour which the 

 Chartley herd, more than any other, not unfrequently 

 produces. She is "a blue-black, with a white stripe 

 down the back, a large white star on the forehead, and 

 white rings round the legs." As no variations of this 

 kind had ever been known before at Lyme, there is now 

 a strong feeling against the use of the Chartley sire ; yet 

 I am myself of opinion that more good than harm will 

 eventually arise from the cross with that blood. The 

 old cow's other daughter was a young calf by the Lyme 

 bull, and was, like her sire and dam, of the legitimate 

 colour. Probably all the herd have now in their veins 

 some of the Gisburne Park blood. 



Considering the herd, therefore, just at present as in 

 a transition state, I proceed to give what account I can 

 of the Lyme herd as it was prior to the introduction of 

 the Gisburne blood. Unfortunately, no pictures or 

 stuffed heads remain ; but, as we have only to go back 

 some fifteen or sixteen years, the characteristics of the 

 old uncrossed breed are well and generally remembered. 



The old Lyme Park cattle were of the genuine ancient 

 type : pure white, with black muzzle, and black circle 

 round the eyes, and hoofs. They had also, at least 

 usually, some black above the hoof on the front of the 

 fore-leg. The horns were only slightly tipped with 

 brownish-black, in this respect resembling most the 

 Chartley cattle ; the ears were generally red, but in some 

 cases they were tipped with blue — the keeper said it 

 could scarcely be called black. This quite corroborates 

 what Hansall says : that they were "c/riefli/ white with 

 red ears." The horns were of an intermediate character 



