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cient records in reference to the importation of this stock, and its distri¬ 
bution among the settlers. From the description of the animals, it is 
evident they were very different from what is now recognized as the 
Devon breed. Thus the documents speak of “four black heyfers, came 
in the Jacob,” of the “four black cows, came at first in the Ann,” of the 
“ great white-back cow brought over in the Ann,” of “the white-bellied 
heyfer,” “the red cow,” &c. These colors show that the animals had a 
much closer affinity with the Cornwall cattle, or some of the Welsh 
breeds, than with those of Devon. According to the last census report, 
one hundred and fifteen cattle were imported into the plantations of 
Massachusetts Bay, in 1629. It is said “they were mostly ordered by 
Francis Higginson, formerly of Leicestershire, whence several of the 
animals were brought.” 
In addition to these, it is believed that animals of the Sussex breed 
were early introduced, and there was, probably, one importation from 
Devonshire. An intelligent Connecticut gentleman informed the writer, 
that the first settlers of that State imported cattle from the last named 
county, and that this stock was the foundation of what has been widely 
known and esteemed under the name of “Farmington reds.” It appears 
to have been spread up the valley of Connecticut river from the neighbor¬ 
hood of Hartford, and having been adhered to by the farmers of that fine 
section, gave to their stock a more distinct character than is possessed by 
the common cattle in any other section of the country. 
The foregoing remarks show that the original cattle of the country 
were of varied blood and qualities, not, probably selected with much 
regard to purity, or similarity of points ; and under the careless and 
indiscriminate manner in which they have been bred, it is not singular 
that they have made no approach towards a standard of uniformity. 
The Connecticut importation alluded to was not, probably, from North 
Devon, as the stock are usually larger and somewhat coarser in form 
than the popular breed of that district. Some of the best of the New 
England cattle bear a considerable resemblance to the Sussex. B. P, 
Johnson, Esq., of Albany, N. Y., who attended the show of the Royal 
Agricultural Society, at Windsor, in 1851, observes in regard to the 
Sussex cattle : “ When I first passed them I supposed they were Devons, 
and I can now account for a race of cattle in our country which pass 
