120 WHITE FOREST BEEED. 



produce variability of coloring, is well shown in au 

 account of the cattle of Paraguay, by Azara, wherein 

 it is stated that the wild cattle are always a reddish 

 pard color, and thus differ in color from the domes- 

 ticated breeds. ^^ When it is considered how little 

 tameness is called domestication in these regions, it 

 is realized upon what obscure causes the fact of color 

 must depend. Even in our most ancient breeds we 

 find variations of color, as in the Highland, Galloway, 

 and Devon.*'' The strongest single argument in favor 

 of these white cattle being the forefothers of our 

 present stock, is in the occasional cases of reversion, 

 which occur in many of the breeds, and oftener in 

 those whosj connection with the wild breed seems 

 probable. In the West Highland breed, usually 

 black, the white color and the ear markings in many 

 cases return.*'' In the Ayrshire cow we have record of 

 two cases of reversion, to white with red ears ; and we 

 can remark, after a most careful examination of Ayr- 

 shire cattle, that we have never seen white ears, or ears 

 the tips of which were other than red, brown, or 

 black. In shape we have the differences inherent to 

 locality. Mountain breeds are apt to be lighter in 

 their hindquarters than breeds occupying a plain, as 

 we are told by Lovv,^^ and it is obvious to any ob- 

 server that semi-domesticated breeds are lighter in 

 the flanks and loins than those breeds which have 

 been subjected to systematic breeding. In the Ayr- 



's Nat. ni8t of the Quadrupeds of Paraguay, Edinb., 1838, 73. 



^* Low, P'tMSim. 



" Low's AnlDialB, 301. " Low's Animals, 305, 



