orejanos

(Sp. model spelled same [orexáno] < older form orellano 'lateral; separated; set to one side' < orilla 'edge, border,' diminutive of Latin dram 'edge; shore.' Coraminas indicates that this term does not come from oreja, as is commonly believed. It originally referred to wild animals or those that kept to remote or solitary places. Later the term was influenced by oreja, since animals that were not orellanos were earmarked)

   California, Oregon, Nevada: 1924. Wild cattle, or cattle that have not been earbranded. Also any unbranded cow, bull, calf, or (rarely) horse. The DRAE glosses orejano as an animal that does not have a mark or brand on its ear or any other part of its body. Islas concurs.

   Alternate forms: oreanas, orejanas.

   Also known as black cattle, cimarrones, longears, mesteñas, mustang cattle, mustangs, Spanish cattle, slick-ears, wild cattle.