1084 - Hornless Ruminants. [De 
We have occasionally seen females of the short-horn breed with 
horns descending by the side of the head, and apparently not very 
firmly attached to the skull.” 
. These facts should encourage short-horn breeders in their 
desire to raise an improved breed of polled short-horns. 
Shakespeare was acquainted with the polled cattle. One 
would not have expected Shakespeare to have noted the polled 
character, nor in the manner he does; but the lover of sport in 
the forest supplies us with the following: 
y Beat. Too curst is more than curst; I shall lessen God’s sending that way, for 
itis said, God sends a curst cow short horns: but a cow too curst he sends none. 
** Leon. So, by being too curst, God will send you no horns.” * 
This is rather a different attributive explanation than has 
generally been given. 
Shelley is also another “famous writer” who seems to have 
‘been acquainted with hornless cattle; and later, Mr. Rider 
‘Haggard is acquainted with hornless oxen and goats. 
In Wales—Pennant? says,— ‘sh 
_ “Our native kind [of cattle], such as the Welsh and Scottish, 
are small and often hornless.” 
Wirt Sikes, a United States consul in Britain, gives a Mba 
fairy legend; in which there is evidently a reference to p° 
cattle: 
ere was 
ta lake 
the good luck to catch one of these mystic cows, whic : 
_<in love with the cattle of his herd. From that day ore tter an 
-fortune was made. Such calves, such milk, such bu oh 
‘cheese as came from the milk-white cow had never 
been seen 1n 
-h and 
Wales before. The farmer, therefore, soon became rich, : 
f i + but as Ta 
came from all sides to see this wonderful pP E “abe lee. 
.butcher’s bludgeon was severing its head a fea 
* Much Ado About Nothing.—Act II., Scene I. 
2 Ilistory of Quadrupeds, 3 British Goblins. 
i 
TAE E Whe SAE EEE Sage ee, at Taa 
