CHAPTEE XVIIL* 



Conclusions— General Eesemblance in the White Herds — White not improbably 

 the Colour of the Ancient Urus — Differences — -These Differences extend 

 even to Structure — Proof the White Herds afford of the Destructive Effects 

 of In-breeding. 



Before the subject of the wild cattle is closed, it would 

 seem desirable to refer briefly to some remarkable 

 features developed in the foregoing' account. 



The different breeds of wild cattle retained in this 

 country, though varying in many smaller particulars, 

 agreed in one large and principal one : they were all 

 white, with certain black or red markings, which were 

 generally in each herd of a definite and fixed character. 

 Such, as we have seen before, was not unlikely to have 

 been the colour of the ancient Bos urus, from which they 

 sprang. Yet of this there must always remain some 

 little doubt, as has been pointed out by Darwin ; for in 

 every one of the three great herds which still remain, 

 and certainly to some extent in those which are extinct 

 also, it was necessary to preserve the orthodox colour by 

 careful selection, and to destroy calves which were born — 

 as they were not unfrequently — with unusual markings, 

 or of a different colour altogether from the rest of the 

 herd. I must leave to naturalists to decide from what 



* This chapter was written some time ago, and had not been revised 

 by the light of the latest information received by the author. This should 

 be borne in mind should any expressions be considered inconsistent with 

 other portions of the work, or wanting in completeness. — Ed. 



