Derivation of the Domestic Polled Breeds. 799 
the oldest, if not the oldest, breed of cattle in the British Isles. It 
is certainly not a little peculiar that none of the writers of that day 
mention black Suffolks, more especially as some of the Suffolks had 
been crossed with Galloways—a breed in which black certainly pre- 
dominates, No doubt, at times, red Galloways have been produced 
from pure-bred black parents, and some were said by Youatt to be 
of a dun or drab color. However, I am not inclined to accept the 
evidence of color as a sign of purity of race.” 
Mr. Youatt has given it as his opinion that the Red Polls are 
descended from the Galloway breed ; but after a careful and impar- 
tial examination of the records bearing on the subject we are 
inclined to believe with Mr. Euren, editor of the Herd-book, that 
in the several varieties of Red Polled cattle we have the descend- 
ants of the ancient breed valued by our ancestors for their large 
yield of milk. This explanation of the derivation of the breed is 
the more probable when it is remembered that since 1765 there 
have been domesticated herds of white polled park cattle in Nor- 
folk, they having in that year been taken to Gunton, in Norfolk, 
from Middleton Hall, where they were maintained in a wild state 
long prior to 1697. These Gunton polled cattle and their offshoots 
me domesticated in Norfolk, were multiplied in the county, and 
it is almost certain that to them is chiefly due the distribution of a 
polled breed over the county. Arthur Young, in his survey of 
Suffolk, dated 1792, remarks that the cattle there “were uni- 
versally polled—that is, without horns.” Files of the Norfolk 
Mercury show that in 1774 there were whole dairies of polled cattle 
in the county. It is clear that the Galloway cross was also intro- 
duced ; but there is distinct proof that polled cattle existed in con- 
siderable numbers both in Norfolk and Suffolk prior to the date 
when the Galloways themselves became generally polled. 
We read in the Norwich Mercury of 1770 advertisements of 
polled cattle, both bulls and cows, to be sold near Cawstown, Peep- 
ham and Pullham market. In 1802, advertisements for the Red 
Polled cattle were very numerous. 
These Galloways are distinctly stated to have been for purposes 
of feeding, simply; and that they were not used for creating a horn- 
less variety out of already hornless cattle is evident from the total 
want of similarity between them, not only in color but general 
