Page:The Evolution of British Cattle.djvu/34

 breed as a small form, of slender, almost graceful build. The hide is of a uniform yellowish-grey, grey, or brown tint, white patches being uncommon. Other characteristics are, a lighter streak round the muzzle, a light iris, a black stripe down the back, the lighter colour of the belly and the inner side of the legs, the occurrence of lighter coloured hair within the outer ear, and long hairs on the rim of it. The skin and muzzle are always black in colour." While Boyd Dawkins, who dealt with the British Bos longifrons, came to the conclusion that the breed was usually of a dark colour probably black, red, and brindled. These authors inferred the colours of the original Bos longifrons from the colours of separate branches of his presumed descendants, while Boyd Dawkins also took into account some specimens of hair which have been found in prehistoric deposits. Both failed to allow for the effects of variation or of intruding breeds or races. With Werner's conclusions we have no immediate concern; but, as we shall see later, the reds and the brindles which Boyd Dawkins took to be the original natives of Britain were really intruders.

To show that the British variety of Bos longifrons was black, we must anticipate some part of what is to follow, on the understanding