40 
THE ANCIENT HISTORY OF THE OX. 
to have been found wild in the days of Leslie and Boece could 
certainly have been only a few stray cattle from some gentleman's 
park or forest, and which, attracting attention in consequence of 
the colour, were chased by the woodmen and foresters, and hence 
became savage and ferocious. Mr. Youatt, in his admirable work 
on Cattle, says, alluding to this white breed, which were found in 
Wales about the tenth century, “ According to an ancient docu- 
ment, a hundred white cows with red ears was demanded as a 
compensation for certain offences against the prince of North and 
South Wales. If the cattle were of a dark or black colour, 150 
were to be presented.” Here is a fact that the white breed were 
considered as a rare variety, and the same records that describe 
the white breed speaks also of the dark or black coloured breed 
which now exists, and which is general throughout the princi- 
pality. 
The white breed are now, we believe, extinct except in two or 
three places, those at Chillingham Park approaching nearest in 
their character to the ancient race. They are about the size 
of the West Highland breed, of a dun colour — the muzzles and 
the inside of the ears being of a reddish brown. They are wild, and 
extremely cautious of being approached, and when suddenly 
intruded upon they scamper off, and turn round as if to smell and 
examine the intruder, and generally gallop in circles, as if medi- 
tating an attack. 
From some accounts which we have heard, the greatest care 
is required in order to preserve the peculiar characters of the 
race, since there exists a tendency to deviate from the colour and 
marking of their parents. Sometimes they become altogether 
black or altogether white, or have black ears instead of red ones. 
These are immediately destroyed by the keepers, so that it is im- 
possible to ascertain what character they would assume if left to 
breed in a promiscuous way. 
This is a striking example of the manner in which the charac- 
ters of colour are preserved in any particular breed. The reji 
colour of the Devons and the black colour of the Pembrokes' 
shew the same effects of care and attention in breeding; and, in 
our opinion, this very fact which we have mentioned of the great 
care that is requisite to preserve the white race pure, proves 
that the breed is not the indigenous colour of the native stock 
which ran wild in its woods and glens before man inhabited its 
surface. 
There are few places so well calculated for the preserving of 
this breed as Chillingham, as it lies in a solitary country ; and 
such is the care taken to render this isolation as complete as pos- 
sible, that there is not even a public house permitted in the 
