NORFOLK AND SUFFOLK POLLS. 23 



in the exportation of lean cattle from Scotland to Eng- 

 land, Galloway participated to a large extent. By the end 

 of last century as many as 20,000 head of cattle were 

 annually sent from Galloway to England — chiefly to Nor- 

 folk — to be fattened there for the southern markets. It 

 is stated that the English buyers preferred the hornless 

 cattle ; and no doubt, this fact had induced the enterprising 

 Galloway farmers — who had been taking advantage of the 

 new outlet for the produce of their herds — to strive more 

 anxiously than ever to get rid of the horns and to enlarge 

 the ranks of their polled stocks. About twenty -five or 

 thirty years ago, mainly through the encroachments of 

 those excellent dairy cattle, the Ayrshires, and the chang- 

 ing of grazing-lands into tillage farms, the Galloway polled 

 breed became greatly reduced in numbers. Indeed had not 

 some enterprising gentlemen, who knew well the value of 

 the race, taken active steps in the matter, it might have soon 

 become extinct. Since the commencement of the ' Polled 

 Herd Book ' in 1862, the breed has regained much of the 

 popularity it worthily enjoyed in bygone days. It is now 

 reared extensively, and with much success, in Dumfries- 

 shire, Kirkcudbrightshire, and elsewhere. In general ap- 

 pearance the Galloway resembles the polled Aberdeen or 

 Angus breed, although we believe the one to be almost, if 

 not indeed quite, as far removed from the other in kin- 

 ship as from any of the other British breeds. The Gal- 

 loways are handsomely formed, all black in colour, slightly 

 ranker and coarser in the hair, rather thicker and stiffer 

 in the skin, and also somewhat slower in maturing than 

 the polled Aberdeen or Angus cattle. They are, however, 

 justly celebrated as graziers, and are well deserving of the 

 increased and growing attention now being bestowed upon 

 them. They are noted for remarkable fixity of type. 



The origin of the Norfolk and Suffolk polled breed has 

 been the subject of considerable discussion. By some it 

 is regarded as indigenous to the district it now occupies. 



