The herds of cattle at Chillingham are believed to be survivors of _Bos
primigenius_, the wild ox of Europe, which is the supposed progenitor of
our domestic cattle. This fact is of great scientific interest and is
analogous to the preservation of the few remaining buffaloes in America,
only in this case these wild cattle have been preserved through much
changed conditions for a vastly longer period.
The King, when Prince of Wales, shot one of these animals, but in doing
so had a rather narrow escape. The chief external appearances
distinguishing the cattle from all others are as follows--"their colour
is invariably white; muzzles black, the whole of the inside of the ear
and about one-third of the outside, from the lips downwards, red; horns
white with black tips, very fine and bent upwards; some of the bulls
have a thin upright mane about an inch and a half or two inches long."
It should be pointed out that there is some danger in encountering any
of the herd in the absence of the park-keepers. The calves have been
noticed to have the wild characteristic of dropping when suddenly
surprised.
A reproduction is given opposite of Landseer's picture of the wild
cattle.
[Illustration: _Collection A. Rischgitz._
THE WILD CATTLE AT CHILLINGHAM.
From the painting by Landseer. The herd are survivors of the wild ox or
_Bos primigenius_.]
ST. IVES, CORNWALL
=How to get there.=--Train from Paddington. Great Western Rly.
=Nearest Station.
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