94 CATTLE. Chap. III. 



modified, and the terminal edge of the premaxillaries forms an 

 arch. In fact, on comparison with the skull of a common ox, 

 scarcely a single bone presents the same exact shape, and the 

 whole skull has a wonderfully different appearance. 



The first brief published notice of this race was by Azara, 

 between the years 1783-96 ; but Don F. Muniz, of Luxan, who 

 has kindly collected information for me, states that about 1700 

 these cattle were kept as curiosities near Buenos Ayres. 

 Their origin is not positively known, but they must have ori- 

 ginated subsequently to the year 1552, when cattle were first 

 introduced. Sefior Muniz informs me that the breed is believed 

 to have originated with the Indians southward of the Plata. 

 Even to this day those reared near the Plata show their less 

 civilized nature in being fiercer than common cattle, and in the 

 cow, if visited too often, easily deserting her first calf. The 

 breed is very true, and a niata bull and cow invariably produce 

 niata calves. The breed has already lasted at least a century. 

 A niata bull crossed with a common cow, and the reverse cross, 

 yield offspring having an intermediate character, but with 

 the niata character strongly displayed. According to Senor 

 Muniz, there is the clearest evidence, contrary to the common 

 belief of agriculturists in analogous cases, that the niata cow 

 when crossed with a common bull transmits her peculiarities 

 more strongly than does the niata bull when crossed with a 

 common cow. When the pasture is tolerably long, these cattle 

 feed as well as common cattle with their tongue and palate ; but 

 during the great droughts, when so many animals perish on the 

 Pampas, the niata breed lies under a great disadvantage, and 

 would, if not attended to, become extinct ; for the common 

 cattle, like horses, are able to keep alive by browsing with 

 their lips on the twigs of trees and on reeds : this the niatas 

 cannot so well do, as their lips do not join, and hence they are 

 found to perish before the common cattle. This strikes me 

 as a good illustration of how little we are able to judge from 

 the ordinary habits of an animal, on what circumstances, 

 occurring only at long intervals of time, its rarity or extinc- 

 tion may depend. It shows us, also, how natural selection 

 would have determined the rejection of the niata modification 

 had it arisen in a state of nature. 



