25 



CHAPTER m. 



ORIGIN AND EAELY HISTORY OF THE POLLED ABEEDEEN 

 OK ANGUS CATTLE. 



Scotch domestic cattle derived from aboriginal wild treed — All one variety 

 — Differing according to conditions of life — Origin of polled Aberdeen 

 or Angus breed — Natives of their present home — Loss of horns — 

 When ? — Probably centuries ago — Polled cattle in Angus in 1752, in 

 1757, in 1797, and in 1813— Youatt on Angus polled cattle— Polled 

 Galloways in Angus — Polled cattle in Aberdeenshire in last century — 

 Keith and Williamson on Aberdeenshire cattle — Youatt on ditto — 

 "Native low country" and "Buchan humlies " the same breed — 

 Letter from Mr Macpherson, Huntly, in 1832 — Polled Galloway cattle 

 in Aberdeenshire — Early polled breeders in Aberdeenshire — Improved 

 breed direct descendants of Angus doddies and Buchan humlies — The 

 latter two same variety — Loss of horns. 



We have already indicated that, among naturalists and 

 other persons of distinction, there has been much dis- 

 cussion upon points connected with the origin of 

 domestic British cattle. It has been disputed whether 

 they should be regarded as the degenerate descendants 

 of the 'great urus, the magnified progeny of the slender 

 longifrons, or the composite product of these two. 

 There has also been discussion as to whether they have 

 been derived solely from the aboriginal wild cattle of 

 ancient Britain, or partly from these and partly from 

 domesticated cattle introduced from the continent of 

 Europe. There would seem to be strong reason to believe 

 that the latter idea may be applied correctly to several of 



