54 Oxen 



weight of a wild bull yak has been estimated at between iiooand 1200 

 pounds. 



The following measurements of horns are gi\xn in Mr. Rowland 

 Ward's Records of Big Giimc : — 



■r- , T-- Wi.lest 



19 34 



17 25I 



2o|- : 



27i 26^ 



i8i } 



? ? 



loi .? 



12 25! 



1 1 



? 



1 71 26f 



The name Bos grKiiiiicns was doubtless given by Linna'us to the 

 domesticated breed ot vak, and Prezewalzki has proposetl to designate 

 the wiUl race as B. miitiis. If the latter term were used at all, it should 

 be employed in a subspecific sense, but since many ot the semi-domesticated 

 yak of Rupshu and some of the other high plateau.x in Tibet are practically 

 indistinguishable, except in size, from the wild race, it appears unnecessary. 

 Whether the l.itter never gives vent to the grunting cry characteristic of 

 the domesticated breeds, I have no information. 



Domesticated yak, which are always much smaller than their wild 

 cousins, with very inferior horns, vary much according to locality. In 

 Rupshu they are very large, and generally, if not always, of the uniform 

 colour of the wild race. They run halt-wild tor much ot their time, and 

 are unable to live except at xery high elevations. At lower lexels in 

 various parts ot Ladak and the Himalaya pied tiomestic breeds are 

 common ; and it is from the tails of these that the Hy-whisks, or chowris, 



