Family BOVID-^. 

 Genus Bos. 



WILD WHITE CATTLE. 



Bos taurus, Linnaeus. 



Plates 40-41. 



It is difficult to trace with any certainty the origin of the so-called 

 * Wild ' Cattle living under semi-feral conditions to-day, and now considered 

 by most authorities to be descended in all probability from domestic animals 

 which had escaped from captivity at some remote period, and after shelter- 

 ing for an unknown time in our forests as truly wild creatures, were driven 

 into enclosures in medieval times. 



It is therefore a question whether they should be included in a work of 

 this kind, but as the history of the different breeds is of some interest a short 

 account of the principal herds is given. 



Mr. Millais considers {^Mammals of Great 'Britain and Ireland^ vol. iii. 

 p. 188) that "there is a strong probability that the 'Wild' Cattle and all 

 our domestic cattle are descended from breeds produced on the Continent, 

 and that these, after centuries of domestication elsewhere, were introduced 

 into Britain. As far as we can guess, these breeds originally came from the 

 Urus, but at so remote a date that the very earliest history and pictures can 

 give no clue." 



An early domesticated Ox, known as Bos longifrons, whose bones have 

 been found in large numbers along with the flint implements of ancient 

 Britons, is said to be the origin of our small Welsh and Highland Cattle. 



50 



