FATAL RESULTS TO TEE WHITE CATTLE. 365 



to us ; but at the comparatively recent time I have 

 named, seven herds of wild cattle still remained. 

 There are now three only left ; for we can scarcely 

 call a herd the one or two doubtful cows still remain- 

 ing at Lyme. Four herds have during this century 

 first declined, and then come to an end through con- 

 tinued inter-breeding. We have in every case the 

 authority either of the proprietor himself, or of some- 

 one intimately acquainted with him and with the herd, 

 for saying this. The Wollaton herd " began to dete- 

 riorate and fall off in size," and at last " would breed 

 no longer." The Lyme herd is " all but cleared out ; 

 the cross came too late, and has not answered." The 

 Gisburne herd " got delicate from breeding in-and-in, 

 and always bred bulls at last." " They required great 

 care." The moiety of the Athole herd which went to 

 the late Lord Breadalbane's was not continued, though 

 for some years great efforts were made for that purpose, 

 because - they ceased to breed together, though the 

 cows bred with other bulls, and vice versa!' 



Of the three wild herds which still continue, it is 

 pretty clear that the Hamilton one must almost cer* 

 tainly have received an admixture of fresh blood during 

 the Cromwellian period, and much more certain that it 

 was crossed a few years since. The continuous inter- 

 breeding of the cattle at Chillingham without inter- 

 mixture since the thirteenth century is a prodigy which 

 would require more proof than it is ever likely to re- 

 ceive. Their neighbours, the Scottish moss-troopers, 

 some of whom lived within twelve miles, would have been 

 extremely likely to have interfered with the operation ; 

 and there are some strong reasons for supposing that 

 deliberate crosses have been taken much more recently. 



