316 MR. C. BODEN KLOSS ON 



39. Bos banteng birmanicus. 



Bos sont-hiicus hirmnnicus, Lydekker, P. Z. S , 1898, p. 227, pi. xxv. 

 Bos bdntenij b/'rnicnicus, LvJekker, Cat. Ungiihite Mamiiials B. M., 



i, p. 27, tig. 13, (1913)." 

 />Oft' soirliticiis jiorieri Lydekker, P. Z. S., IflOD, p. 669. 

 Bos bnnteny porteii, Lydekker Cat. Ung. Mamm. B M., i, p. 28 



(1913). 

 Bu!< siiniliiii-us and Bos sonthiirus jiorteri, Gairdiier, Jourii. N. H. Sue. 



Siaiu, ii, p 250 and plate (1917.) 



Skull and head-skiii of an immature bull from Maa Wong Forest 

 about 80 miles N. W. of Paknampo, Central Siam. Messrs. G. F. W. 

 Ehves and H. C. St. J. Yates [No 2578]. 



The colour of the skin is pale brownish, irregularly spotted with 

 white throughout, darker above the nniiczle and ochraceous on the 

 forehead, neck and outer sides of the ears above ; the remainder of the 

 ears, within and without, and the lips are white. Horns black distally, 

 brownish-yellow basally. 



Greatest length of skull, 460; external biorbital breadth, 202 ; 

 upper tooth-row (alveoli) 147 mm. 



Greatest breadth across horns, 633 ; tip to tip, 380 ; length 

 along outer curve, 495; girth at base 305 mm. 



I agree with Gairdner in considering that no sufficient reasons 

 have been advanced for the recognition of the Siamese banteng or tsine 

 as a distinct subspecies ( B. h. porteri) and have long suspected that, 

 as he now shows, the white spotting which was supposed to distinguish 

 it was merely an instance of aberration. 



The same thing occurs among the semi-domesticated banteng of 

 Bali where I have noticed herds which included one or more beasts 

 quite as spotted as the Siamese wild animal figured by Gairdner ( tj'pe 

 of jiorteri). If, of course, the majority of individuals in a region were 

 thus coloured there might be sufficient reason for admitting a local 

 form, but at present this is not the case, spotted animals being only 

 isolated " sports." 



It is possible that such sports indicate the beginning of a [iro- 

 gress of evolution and that animals so coloured may eventually become 

 dominent; but we shall have to wait a long tiuie before the use ot 

 the name porteri becomes thus justified — unless Siamese .animals 

 happen to posses peculiar characters whicli liave not yet been perceived. 



JOURN. NAT. HIST. SOC SIAM 



