WILD CATTLE.

Our readers have heard of the famous white cattle of Chillingham, Northumberland^ supposed to be the descendants of the original " Bos primigenius," but much degenerated in size, that once roamed the plains and forests of Europe in prehistoric times. There is still a herd of these cattle afc Chillingham, and a recent number of the ' Agricultural Gazette' publishes a chatty and interesting article about the animals and eipkriments "with them and thusly proceeds: —■ At the Roynl Show at Kilburn and again at the Smith field Club Show in 1888 the public were much interested 1 in ' the specimens of white animals which Lord . Tankerville exhibited, being a cross between his own famous white wild cattle at Chilliogham Park and the pure Shorthorn. In 1876 an experiment was made in putting a wild bull on four pure-bred Shorthorn heiffirs; only two of them bred. One produced a heifer calf (Eve), which she in her..turn, never bred, and the bull (Adam), whilst running with his dam, a fiW white cow, Honored Guest, got her in calf, and the produce was another bull, called Cain. At three years old this animals showed great masculine character, with extiaordinary hair and flesh, though retaining some of the -wild nature. In 1884 a second experiment was made the reverse way. Two wild heifers were crossed with the white Shorthorn bull Baron Bruce 47,387; from one of these was born, on March 20th," 1885, a white heifer called Wild Bose,,and on April 13th the following 'year the other heifer produced a white cow calf called Wild Blossom. Boch these have since been mated with purebred white bulls from Mr Booth's herd, Wild Rose, still breeding, having pro- ' duced five calves and Wild Blossom four. Now the second calf of Wild Rose, a heifer calved iv September, 1888, called Wild Eose 2nd, ' has produced in her turn two bulls, which, like the rest of the male calves, have been' castrated. Altogether there are to be seen in the small paddocks outBide the park and adjoining the farm the two original half-bred wild cows and their ten descendants, six being females and four steers. On a bright winter's morning at the close of the last year the wild herd appeared remarkably quiet and well; they were lying in " happy content" on the grassy plateau to the west of Ross Castle, high up under the woods, baßking in the sun. Two or three-, the stragglers of the herd, got up, stretched their "legs,' and picked a bit here and there, but the early morning graze was finished, and a quiet hour's look at the herd from the wood showed little of their individuality. The herd for many years past has been numbered, and during the last five years has exceeded tbe usual " sixty," going up to seventythree in 1890. The females ranged in the five yeais from thirty-five to thirty-nine, but more bulls and fewer oxen have been kept of late years; A bull was sent in 1886, at much risk of life and limb, to the Duke of Hamilton's wild'herd at Cadzow JPkrk, near Glasgow. The " half-breds " are kept completely apart from: the wild herd, and there is rich grazing and comfortable hamroels' in each paddock for them. Wild Rose and Wild Blossom, both by Baronßruce but out of different original wild cows, though each have the short legs and long, curved, upward type of horn, are deeper in their bodies than their wild: ancestors, but differ in general character. Wild Rose, with red hairy ears and din ay nose, is of broad frame and comparatively tame, though her produce .inherit the wildness of her anoestors; whilst, on the contrary, Wild Blossom retains the wild type of head and horn and wild nature of her race; her hind-quarters are drooping and plain, theudder is well shaped, and she ia a good milker, yet her produce are.singularly tame; her third calf, a heifer, Wild Blossom 2nd by Sir Regi- ? nald'Studley 58,148, was calved on 'January 12th, 1891, in tbe snow, and - rarely goes/under cover. :• Wild Blossom's first calf by the Rajah was.calred December 3rd, 1888, and steered. It ran in tbe paddocks, and had, ia addition, hay, a (ew cut turnips, and a little cake. It was killed on December 17th, 1891, and weighed 112 stone of 14 lb live weight, and dressed to 70 stone, being sold for «£36 193 6d. This is a great increase od the weight of the wild steers, as many years ago "The Druid,", when writing ©a the Chillingham herd says, " the steers always grow larger horns, and weigh from 40 to 50 stones of 141 b." in their natural state. Four steers were feeding in; the paddocks during Noyernber. lastj. and two of thera would have easily carried honors in the crossbred classes afc the Smifchfield Show ; one of them > full brother to Wild Blossom's first calf, was sold on December 12th last year for £50 ; he weighed alive 130 stones, and dressed 81 stones 81b when iust three years old. , Y;Wild Rose 2nd by Rajah out of Wild Rose by Baron Bruce, having two cfo.Sßes•' /of 5 Shorthorn blood, is more lengthy and broader in body than her cldthj' fct_e\head/ horns, and eye assimilating -flora to the shorthorn. Sbe was served in July, but bame regularly in use and, was. served again until November, and yet she produced a bull calf in April to the first service. The threercalves by Sir Reginald Studley running with their dams were of singular merit; alihpugh'shyi and galloping a abort; 'distance' off when approached, the^ were remarkably full of abundant long white'Kaif Md'thick flesh, such, indeed, as would astonish the public if exhibited i^ojur; showyards. ■#About-a mile away from-* the paddocks are • the grass parks of Chillingham Barns,, where Sir -j^acob Wilson keepSrUis "small select herd "of purebred shorthorns and stud of Clydesdales, and Lady Wilson" her large array of prize ;< •'poultry^ ducks, and turkeys. There- are aboutpfteen cows and heifers, jiiost b£ them'irt calf to Merry Christon, a handsonie refa; thre fe~year«6ld bull by Warfaby' Fitz' 'Mdwbray. His large daiUj good: ribs/and fine• biftd-quarters -pidiakt&tbmit lie 'may feed-ißtoa^grSnd *-ibTd 5 bull) ■ &nd; c&rtf v off more honfors th^tf his; first jfrisse' afc Wdoler. Three,. Ij#;the 'best; bowa-are olfcbelate Revv*

viz., Rosary, Lady Superior, and Re* cluse, and from them there are three very promising, stufliy, good heifers, deep reds in color, by Merry Chiiston, the three red cows being again in calf to him. Ruby Bracelet, from the younger CruickshaDk's herd in Aberdeenshire, is another taking cow, and Fidelity's roan calf is quite one of tbe best. Riby Grwynne, from Mertoun, and two or three others of Lord Polwnrth's breeding, with some of the late Mr W. Tori's Waterloos from Alesby, comprise the remainder of the herd, which promises to become quite a first-class one, worthy alike of the county and the great name that it bears.