INDIAN CATTLE. 77 



mixed with the natural fibrous and muscular structure of the withers. 

 It is ornamental and a sexual mark, being much larger in the bull 

 than in cither bullock or cow ; it varies in size in different breeds, 

 and must be considered as a storehouse of nutriment, serving to 

 adapt the animal to periods of famine exigency which occur fre- 

 quently in the course of Indian life. In the calf it is not seen, 

 but develops as the animal grows older. Its firmness is a good 

 index of the condition of the animal and is used for this propose by 

 bullock-men who feel it critically but who (with many Europeans) 

 are entirely mistaken in imagining that the presence of the hump is 

 essential to working bullocks. Evidence to the contrary may be 

 seen any day in the Bombay streets, where numerous half -starved 

 bullocks with no hump work under the yoke. No doubt a good full 

 hump and a fat yokerest, well suited for its work and little liable to 

 gall, go together, but the bullock is in no way dependent on his hump 

 for ability to work under the yoke. (2) The lightness and agility 

 is due to the animal having to range far and wide to pick up his 

 living, and having to do work much more frequently than the European 

 ox. Although in many parts of the world cattle are commonly 

 worked, India yields to none in the value of her draught breeds, as 

 England yields to none in her rich beeves. Thus we arrive at an 

 important axiom as regards cattle-breeding in India, that /or working 

 breeds we nerd not go outside of India for new blood though if we wish to 

 breed for beef and milk, something mag be done by crossing with English 

 and foreign breeds. This axiom is constantly to be held in remem- 

 brance, and neglect of it may lead to serious ill-consequences. (3) 

 The fine full dewlap of Indian working cattle is supposed to at times 

 attain such a degree of development as to interfere mechanically 

 with the animals when trotting. This idea seems very widely 

 accepted, and is received by Professor Wallace, but the evidence 

 of its truth is doubtful and inconclusive. 



The Zebu is a species which has undergone much modification, so 

 that now there are numerous varieties or breeds. In the south of 

 India the most important breed is the Mysori, which attains its 

 highest development in the Hallikar variety of the celebrated Amrut- 

 Mahal bullock of Hoonsoor. These are excellent animals for fast 

 draught, being quick and light in action, plucky and enduring ; they 



