  Large negative magnetoresistance (MR) observed in transport measurements of
hcp Co films with stripe domains were recently reported and interpreted in
terms of a novel domain wall (DW) scattering mechanism. Here detailed MR
measurements, magnetic force microscopy, and micromagnetic calculations are
combined to elucidate the origin of MR in this material. The large negative
room temperature MR reported previously is shown to be due to ferromagnetic
resistivity anisotropy. Measurements of the resistivity for currents parallel
(CIW) and perpendicular to DWs (CPW) have been conducted as a function of
temperature. Low temperature results show that any intrinsic effect of DWs
scattering on MR of this material is very small compared to the anisotropic MR.
