130 Notices of various Animal Remains 



in opposition to such decided evidence to the contrary, but 

 also so strangely degenerated into the comparatively small- 

 sized and placid ox of the present day, seems to me really 

 past belief. 



And with regard to the opinion, that the domesticated 

 British cattle were originally derived from those of the 

 Roman colonists, we must recollect that we have evidence 

 which proves the existence of numerous herds of domesti- 

 cated cattle in Britain before ever Caesar's troops set foot in 

 the country. This Professor Owen seems rather to overlook, 

 when he says, (p. 500, Brit. Fos. Mam.,) that in all probabi- 

 lity the " herds of newly conquered regions would be derived 

 from the already domesticated cattle of the Roman colonist." 

 No doubt to a certain extent this might afterwards be the 

 case ; but Caesar himself tells us, in his Commentaries, at the 

 very commencement of his operations in England, that " the 

 country was well peopled, and that they possessed ' pecoris 

 magnus numerus,' " — (lib. v. 12) — numerous herds of cattle ; 

 for " pecus" is frequently used when domesticated cattle are 

 spoken of, although certainly its more correct signification 

 refers to sheep ; and that in this instance it refers to cattle, 

 we think is rendered the more likely, by his going on to tell 

 us that the natives of the interior of the country seldom 

 troubled themselves with the tillage of the ground, but lived 

 on milk and flesh meat, and clothed themselves with the 

 skins — (lib. v., 12, 14) ; — all of which facts are proofs of the 

 reference being at least to domesticated herds ; and also, as 

 has been well remarked, that the proverbial fondness of the 

 natives of the southern parts of our island, at the present 

 day, for the " roast beef of Old England," is a taste of no 

 recent origin. It should also be remembered, that it must 

 have taken no little time before the country could be filled 

 with " numerous herds of cattle,'' especially if we consider 

 the difficulty of transit from one country to another, in the 

 still earlier and ruder times ; and I may remind you of the 

 fact, of which Coesar also informs us, that the Germans were, 

 like the British, in possession of numerous herds of cattle 

 before the Romans invaded them ; not being tillers of the 

 ground, but resembling the British in their " milk, cheese, 



