Manipur Banting 47 



foot or gets up, and with a ' psheu ' and a snort the whole herd stampede, 

 with their tails in the air. Thus alarmed, they go miles before stopping, 

 and it is useless pursuing them under such circumstances. They are 

 always in good condition, although at times subject to cattle disease. All 

 specimens which I have shot had splendid coats, smooth and shining, like 

 that of a well-groomed horse. The skin is much prized by the Burmans 

 for making shoes. The under-parts of the body in one cow were covered 

 with small warts, varying in size from that of a pea to a hazel-nut. The 

 neck of the bull is generally covered with scars, the result of wounds 

 received in combat." 



In a private letter the following additional particulars are communi- 

 cated by the same gentleman : — " There is no doubt of the animal being 

 wild ; its shyness, keenness of scent, and habit of charging when wounded 

 being sufficient to show this. But whether originally wild, or whether 

 formerly domesticated, it is impossible to say. My idea is that it is the 

 original wild ox from which the present domestic Burmese cattle have 

 sprung ; in tact, it is impossible to help remarking the similarity in 

 colouring and general appearance of the cow in both breeds ; the differ- 

 ence lies in the absence of the dorsal ridge in the domesticated cow and 

 the general gameness and antelope-like form ot the wild one. In the 

 domestic Burmese bull, on the other hand, I have seen nothing approaching 

 the size and magnificence of a solitary bull tsaing. Such an old bull is 

 one of the finest animals I have ever set eyes on, and I regret that I had 

 not a camera with me to take the specimens shot. An old bull gets almost 

 an iron-gray colour, while the younger ones are dark brown. I have never 

 noticed the white patch on the rump of the male, although this is a 

 marked feature in the temale," 



