INDIAN CATTLE. SI 



imported into India, because of the excellent milking qualities of the 

 row. 



Such is a hasty review of the cattle of India. The general im- 

 pression one will gain from this summary is, perhaps, that India 

 is remarkably well-off for cattle, whether for slow draught, fast 

 work, or milking purposes. Such is certainly the case. Possibty 

 some good in the future may be effected by crossing the Indian 

 breeds more frequently than now, but it seems evident that if any 

 gain whatsoever resulted from import of working cattle, say from 

 Italy or the south of France, this would be more than counteracted 

 by loss of stamina and of suitability to the climate on the part of the 

 Indo-European progeny. As regards milk, the Short-horn cross 

 would certainly increase the yield and quality, but the resulting 

 animals would need great care, and could only thrive in cooler parts 

 of the country. With Kathiawar, Sind, Hansi, Nellore, and Aden 

 cows we need hardly resort to Europe for milking breeds. As 

 regards beef, Indian cattle are, undoubtedly, very inferior, but as the 

 demand is very limited it would probably be fully met by the Com- 

 missariat establishing a central beef farm, and distributing bullocks 

 for slaughter to the large stations within range. It would not cost 

 much to attach an English beef herd to each of the existing publie 

 cattle farms, and the herds might possibly be made self-supporting. 

 In such a country as India, however, improved beef can hardly be 

 considered a crying necessity, as the beef-eating population is in 

 such a large minority. 



Another point which is conspicuous in description of Indian 

 cattle is the absence of well marked differences sufficient for popular 

 description. The points by which the general varieties can be dis- 

 tinguished from one another are simply those of differences in size 

 and shape which it requires a practised eye to detect, although at a 

 glance in the case of any special animal it is possible for an experi- 

 enced man to form a correct idea of his breed. This is strongly con- 

 firmatory of the view that the zebu is a true species, and has diverged 

 far in the line of development from the ox of Europe. Whether, or 

 no, he is a black race is a point which has been raised by Professor 

 Wallace, but which we will not now discuss, for it is at present 

 sub judice. 



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