The McCook tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 1886-1936, 1899-01-13
ORIGIN or the Gauovavs.
In a pamphlet on the "Histoy Of the
Galloways," Col. D. McCrae says:

Origin or the Gauoways.
In a pamphlet on the "Histoy Of the
Galloways," Col. D. McCrae says:
| Galloways are a hardy hornless breed
OF beef cattle, which take their names
from an old district in the southwest
OF Scotland. Near the sea, and along
the valleys of the rivers are many glens
OF rich fertile land. On the higher
ground the surface is more undulating
n irregular with numerous small
lakes. wide stretches of messy moor
land. rocky hills, and high heathery
mountains. The climate is mild and
moist, and while cattle usually have
winter shelter provided, they some
times winter well without any, and
sheep are out all the year. In the days
OF the Romans it contained dense for
ests, largely of oak, and many traces Of
the Roman occupation may still DC
seen. The forests have disappeared,
out there is still il many sections con-
siderable wooded shelter.
Much has been written about the or
gin CT our modern breeds CT cattle. The
fomans when they came into Britain
Iound the great Bos Urus roaming
through the forest. Caesar, says this
animal resembled the domestic cattle,
out IN size was more like an elephant,
ana exceeding wild and fierce, with i'm
mense horns. Professor Low says their
skeleton indicates an animal "nearIg
three times the bulk of the oxen of TIE
present time" Much has been writer
10 show that our modern breeds are de.
scended from this savage wild OK. but
tne ouiK OF opinion seems to be against
thls supposition. YoCatt In his work
on the cattle Of Great Britain saws.
Ihere appears to be the remnants Of
two distinct breeds of aboriginal cattle.
one IN the parks of Chillingham. in
northumberland; the other at Chatel-
herault in Lanarkshire. The first are
mlddle-horned, and the second are poll
ed. In continuation OF the first we
nave the Devon, the Hereford, the Sus-
sex, and the Highland cattle. The
otnefs would appear to survive in the
3aiioWays, the Angus humlies, the Suf-
foIks and the Norfolks." This NAV he
a feasible supposition, but it is lust as
likely that these wild cattle are the de-
scendants Of the domestic animals es-
capped into the forest, and become wild
there. Youatt says: In the
1--WE rowing and uncertain life which
our earlier and later ancestors led,
these cattle would sometimes stray and
De lost. The country was then over
grown with forests, and the beasts be-
look themselves to the recesses of the
woods, became wild, and sometimes fe-
roclous. They, by degrees. grew so
numerous, as to be dangerous to the
inhabitants Of the neighborihg district.
As civilization advanced, and the for
became thinDed and contracted,
these animals were seldom seen, and al
length almost disappeared. They are
still to be found in a few parks" In
stead of attempting to domesticate the
buIfalo we have brought with US the
breeds Of cattle used by our forefathers
In Europe. The buffalo is readily tam
ed and has been more than once used
as the OK in the plow. To judge by the
historical accounts he is a meek and
mild animal compared with the ancient
Urus. When the white man came to
America the horse vas unknown, now
there are many bands of wild horses de-
Scended from those escaped from set
tiers both in North and South America.
most likely theory is hat our mod
ern breeds of cattle are descended from
domestic cattle brought into Eu-
rope by the early settlers. The Scots
are said to have come across Europe |
and through Ireland into Scotland,
from Scythia, and ii is a singular fact
hat Heroditus, the historian, who
wrote about B. C.. 400, says: In Scy-
.hia "the oxen have no horns" 1t is
therefore, probable that the Galloways
Ire the direct descendants of the Old
5cythian breed of polled cattle.