Forrest: British ' Wild' Cattle, 



33r 



difference in the curve and direction of the horns in B. primi- 

 genius and longifrons. In the former, the horns are produced 

 laterally on a level with the top of the skull for the greater 

 portion of their length, the ends only being turned forwards 

 and upwards. In the latter they are bent downwards obliquely, 

 the ends being turned slightly forwards. In the cows the horns 

 project laterally more than in the bulls, and the ends are more 

 turned forwards. 



The Chillingham Cattle resemble B. primigenius in form of 

 skull, but differ widely from that type in shape of horns : 

 these are rather short, and are curved upwards throughout 

 their whole length. 



I have seen skulls in museums attributed to B. longifrons, in 

 which the horns have a distinct upward bend ; these are certainly 

 not pure longifrons, but show a cross with the Roman long-horn> 

 so are of later date than the Roman occupation of Britain. 



None of the breeds of more recent date can be considered 

 as belonging purely to either the primigeniiis or longifrons type, 

 unless it be the Kerry Cattle of Ireland, and the Kyloes of the 

 Scotch Highlands — both exhibiting such striking resemblances 

 to the latter type that they may be regarded as specifically 

 identical. 



But few writers have noticed, and none have emphasized 

 the fact, that our White Park Cattle are not all of the same 

 type — some are short-horns, others long-horns, and a compari- 

 son of their skulls shows that in the long-horned breeds {e.g., 

 Chartley), the top of the skull is straight as in B. primigenius, 

 but in the short-horned herds (e.g., Cadzow), it is curved as in 

 B. lo7igifrons. The Cadzow and Chillingham cattle, however, 

 only partially show this character, because they are not pure 

 bred from the longifrons stock — they have evidently got long- 

 horn blood in them, as shown by the length and shape of horns,, 

 and the comparatively slight curve of the frontal ridge. 



Whilst I do not regard the type longifrons as being synony- 

 mous with ' Short-horn,' nor primigenius with ' Long-horn,' I 

 find that in a general sense most Short-horns in skull and horns 

 resemble most nearly the former type, most long-horns the latter. 



Of course, in modern cattle every conceivable intermediate 

 form is to be found. In the black cattle of Wales, for example, 

 I have seen in the same herd animals typical of both types,* 



* This is well shown in the photograph. 



1908 September i. 



