External Characters of Ruminant Artiodactyla. 111 
short rations the hump soon begins to dwindle and sag like 
that of a camel. Prof. Ewart has, I believe, suggested a 
similar explanation for the accumulations of fat on the rump 
and tail of some breeds of domesticated sheep. 
The constitutional difference between zebus and British 
cattle, shown by the capacity of the former to withstand the 
climatic and other conditions even of Brazil and Jamaica, to 
which British cattle succumb, is precisely what one would 
expect in the case of two breeds adapted for generations to 
such widely different physical conditions as are supplied, on 
the one hand, by tropical India, and, on the other, by 
temperate Hurope. 
Blyth maintained that zebus differ from European cattle in 
their habitual method of carrying the head when at rest. 
This is quite true of some breeds ; Gujrati zebus, for example, 
hold the head somewhat elevated and not in a line with the 
spine in the attitude characteristic of Bos taurus, The 
splendid appearance of this breed of zebus, indeed, is due to 
that circumstance, and, when they are startled, to the alert 
stag-like lift of the head so different from the slouching 
carriage observable in éther cattle. But Blyth’s claim does 
not apply to all breeds. Mysore zebus, for instance, stand 
with the head depressed very much as in ordinary cattle. 
These differences between the two breeds of zebus are well 
illustrated on pl. xvil. of Lydekker’s book, showing a Mysore 
cow in repose and a Gujrati bull standing at attention. 
So far, then, as habits are concerned, there appear to me 
to be no difficulties in the way of believing in the common 
origin of B. taurus and B. indicus. 
lV. EvuROPEAN AND I.GYPTIAN CATTLE OF SUPPOSED 
ZEBU DESCENT. 
Most writers who have written on the subject find evidence 
of zebu blood in many breeds of cattle of Southern and 
Central Europe, the character of the horns forming the 
principal criterion. This claim may be peifectly true, but 
the testimony produced in its support is by no means con- 
vincing. ‘Take, for example, the Transylvanian bull illus- 
trated on pl. i. of Lydekker’s book. This beast has the long 
body, straight back, high croup, long forehead covered with 
curly hair, short naso-maxillary region in the skull, and 
short thick legs wrapt up in one’s conception of British 
shorthorns and park bulls. A comparison between the figure 
