186 
THE ANCIENT HISTORY OF THE OX. 
We have already alluded to the historical fact, that the aboriginal 
inhabitants of Britain were, in early times, frequently overawed 
by ferocious invaders, who carried ruin and destruction wherever 
they went ; and that, in the retreat of the natives, they naturally 
took with them some portion of the wreck of their property, 
which consisted chiefly of cattle, which they drove along with 
them to the mountainous districts of Cornwall, Devonshire, 
Wales, and Scotland, and that it was in this manner that the 
native breed were preserved. 
A Devonshire breeder of N. Devon cattle will tell you that 
their red breed has existed the same from time immemorial, but 
we have our doubts of this. Polwhele, in his History of Devon, 
tells us that a small breed of black cattle were formerly found on 
the moors between Hatherleigh and Holsworthy, and also in the 
neighbourhood of Honiton ; and, at the present time, the black 
muzzle will shew itself even in the improved breed of North De- 
vons, notwithstanding the care and attention that is paid in the 
breeding of them. Thus, in despite of all their care in breed- 
ing from none but the blood-red kind , as indicating the purity of 
the breed , still it carries in its blood some taint of the aboriginal 
race. 
The finest of the Devon breed shew white marks on the udder, 
and white running three or four inches along the belly. In the 
south of Devon, where the breeders are not so careful in select- 
ing for the purpose of breeding, the cattle are of a lighter colour, 
approaching to a chestnut red, with marks of white plentifully 
dispersed. Alterations of climate may have had some influence in 
this, the south of Devon being particularly mild, and the herbage 
far more luxuriant: the consequences of which are, that they attain 
to a larger size. These bear, in some respects, a resemblance to 
some French cattle which we have seen ; and there is some ground 
for believing, that even the North Devon kind owe their colour 
and other excellences to a foreign stock. 
Some of the most eminent antiquarians are of opinion that the 
Dianmonii — the earliest inhabitants of Devon and Cornwall — 
were the Belgic invaders. Csesar tells us that when he landed 
in Britain he found the Belgae inhabiting the sea coasts extending 
from Suffolk to Devonshire. History gives us no information as 
to whether they brought any of their cattle with them ; but we 
should consider it highly probable that they did ; and if so, we 
can easily account for the red colour of the Devon breed. The 
Sussex ox is of a deep chestnut red, with white hair occasionally 
mixed : this is considered also as a stain in the breed ; the 
original colour of the breed was, without doubt, bordering on the 
yellow red and speckled with white, similar to the German and 
