XIV INTEODUCTION. 



White has always been considered a mark of distinc- 

 tion. It is mentioned at an early age in Scripture 

 (Judges, V. 10). The North American Indians set a 

 high value on a white Buffalo skin, which they consider 

 " good medicine," and give several horses in exchange 

 for it. The Alaska Indians now esteem highly a pure 

 White Marten skin, and are willing to pay five Otter or 

 Pox skins for it. The reverence with which the White 

 Elephants are regarded in Siam is a well-known fact. 

 The late King Cetewayo kept a herd of royal coronation 

 white cattle. They must have been very beautiful, as 

 the Zulu cattle, although smaller than Alderneys, are 

 extremely well-made and handsome. We cannot but 

 consider the wild white cattle of Chillingham Park to 

 be the descendants of a tame variety become feral. 

 Their ancestors were probably imported for the sacri- 

 fices of the Druids, and their descendants became wild 

 in the turbulent times and drove out the smaller Celtic 

 Ox from the centre of the country. The Zebu, the 

 sacred Ox of India, is white, and at the same time tame. 

 These white animals, including the Charolais breed of 

 Prance, seem to have been of great size and strength. 

 They are perhaps all derived from the same ancestor as 

 the Chillingham, and the Zebu would probably inter- 

 breed readily with the latter. 



A few Albinos, drab, and parti-coloured animals are 

 found in almost every species. 



The original colour of all wild animals was probably 

 brown, grey, and black, the first-named being the most 

 numerous. 



White animals, as a race, are only found in the 

 extreme north. In temperate climes white, spotted, 

 and mottled colours seem to be produced by artificial 

 breeding. 



