144 THE WILD CATTLE OF SCOTLAND. - 
and loins, than those breeds which have been subjected to syste- 
matic breeding. In the Ayrshire breed we find the medium horn, 
often the direction of the curve and the frequent black tip pointing 
to the wild breed, as also the white face, or starred forehead, and the 
“rigged” back occasionally or frequently recurring, to direct our 
attention to the transition cattle between the original stock, and 
the recorded results of breeding, coeval with the advanced interest 
in agricultural pursuits at or about 1800. 
- These eattle in their present state are easily and readily tamed 
and crosses with common stock are occasionally noted. Such with 
the forest bull are said by Bewick to invariably take the color 
of the father and to retain some of the fierceness.* The reco 
instance of the crossing of a cow of the white breed by a com 
bull gives the color of the progeny: as after the forest pattern, but 
with mottled legs.t 
When we consider the small number of these, cattle, and. 
length of time they have been preserved, and how narrowly ss 
have escaped utter extinction, it is difficult to suppose that th 
have been retained in their purity; still less when we consider 
the disturbances of the times, the number of cattle grazing 
tinually i in their vicinity, and the striking resemblance which 
often shown to them by cattle of other breeds. According to % 
individuals were to be met with in 1845, in the county of Pemb 
_ Thave myself seen in America, cattle which were pure 
z mh red ears, and even polled. 
_ The only explanation which I can see for the variations Í a 
: abe: herds of forest cattle and the tendency towards var 
ee which seems from our account to have been ever strong: 
= shen; as well as the domestic cattle of those regions, are 
_ from the same original stock, the wild ox of the past, 
“those races we call domesticated, as the Ayrshire, the Ang 
lloway, the Highland ‘and others, have been influenci 
greater extent by the arts of civilization, the conscio or 
scious breeding for certain uses, and the’ effects. of 4 
ese inhabitants of the parks. 
On this view the White Forest Breed is a wild kia i 
| 41, note. 
are “oe Sat, Hist, 189, ii, 26 tina 
