136 THE WILD CATTLE OF SCOTLAND. 
A continuous range of enormous forests covered the whole exten. 
of the country in prehistoric times, while the gigantic and fierce — 
cattle roamed through the chase,* and fed on the tender branches | 
and buds, the catkins of birch, hazel, sallow, and other species of — 
willow,j resembling in this matter of feeding the moose of the 
Canadian forests. We have reason to suppose that the ancient 
islanders introduced the rudiments of a pastoral life, while yet A 
- - living in pits incovered with boughs and skins,{ yet no evi- — 
; dence leads to the conclusion that the native Britons had do- 
mesticated the great oxen of the country, although undoubtedly 
they formed ,a source of food. $ In Switzerland, on the contrary, 
the lake dwellers had succeeded in taming these formidit 
brutes. || 
~ We have it stated by Darwin, that Bos primigenius existed asà | 
wild animal in Cæsar’s time. There i is a record of white cattle in 
the tenth century, resembling those in the Scottish parks, “exist- 
ing in Wales, where they were more valued than black cattle.** 
Boethius, in 1526, mentions them as then existing near Stirling. 
“ At this toun began the grit wod of Calidon. This wod of C 
don ran fra Striveling throw Menteith and Stratherne to Atholl a 
| Lochquabir, as Ptolome writtis in his first table. In this wod 
: sum time quhit bullis, with crisp and curland mane, like feirs li 
nis, and thoucht thay semit meek and tame in the remanent 
_ of thair bodyis; thay wer mair wild than ony uthir peistis, and 
sic hatrent aganis the societe and cumpany of men that thay 
nevir in the wodis, nor lesuris quhair thay fand ony feit or h 
thairof, any mony dayis eftir, thay eit nocht of the herbis that ; 
twichit ọr handillit be men. Thir bullis wer sa wild, that th 
~ Wer nevir tane but slight and crafty lanbour; and sa ep 
S eftir thair taking they deit for importable doloure. Alse § ) 
~ Ony man invadit thir bullis, they ruschit with so terrible p 
ma that they ford him w the eird, takand 1 w feir of = 
-*Pehison Sota Wilsons Minheni dnc Mag. of Nat, Hist 1849, 
ies ! § Prehistoric Scotland, i, 31. à 
