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VI. 
THE WILD CATTLE AT CHILLINGHAM. 
By Charles G. Barrett. 
Read 23rd February , 1875 . 
Having lately had an opportunity of visiting the wild cattle at 
Chillingham Park, with perhaps rather unusual opportunity of 
observing them closely, I think that a few notes upon their appear- 
ance and habits during the winter season, when they are not very 
often favoured with the attention of visitors, may possibly be of 
somo interest. 
My visit was on February 10th, in the the company of a gentle- 
man who is well acquainted with the Earl of Tankerville’s agent, 
and also with the keeper of the cattle, and to this circumstance I 
owed my good fortune in being allowed to attend at feeding time, 
instead of being taken to some commanding eminence and shown the 
beasts through a glass at a safe distance. This latter plan is usually 
adopted because the animals are as wild and fleet as hares, and will 
go off with a rush into a distant part of the park at the sight 
or scent of man, not allowing even the keeper to approach them 
except at feeding time, and as they have to cross the rivulets at 
narrow gaps and fords, it sometimes happens that the weaker indi- 
viduals get injured in the rush. For this reason one principal part 
of the keeper’s duty is to prevent their receiving any kind of fright 
or disturbance. 
In the winter, however, they exhibit a curious modification of 
habit. The grass of the park being then insufficient for their 
requirements, they are fed twice a day with a mixture of cut hay 
and straw, with sometimes a little barley meal, and this is con- 
veyed to the feeding ground in a strong cart. This cart becomes, 
therefore, a familiar object connected with pleasant associations, 
and their confidence in it is such that they hike no particular 
notice of any persons who may be with it, provided that they keep 
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