THE ZEBU THE GRUNTING OX. 33 



The bison is met with in most of the southern parts of the 

 world, while the nrus is chiefly found in the cold or temperate 

 regions. The former vary much in size, according to the varia- 

 tions of soil and climate. Those of Abyssinia, Madagascar, and 

 some parts of India, where the soil is fertile, and the pasturage 

 luxuriant, are very large ; but in Arabia Petrasa, and some parts of 

 Africa, are small, and from their diminutive size, and other dis- 

 criminating characteristics, acquire the denomination of 



THE ZEBU. 



This, however, does not appear to be a distinct species, but 

 only a degenerate kind of the bison, diminished in size from the 

 scantiness of its feeding, a circumstance which appears to have 

 a decided effect on the bulk of all horned cattle. Both the bison 

 and the zebu are gentle when tamed. They have generally very 

 fine glossy hair. The hunches on their back are of different 

 sizes, some weighing from twenty to thirty) and others from forty 

 to fifty pounds. The bison is well known in America, especially 

 on the banks of the Mississippi, where they herd together in 

 great numbers, and are hunted for their flesh, which there, as 

 well as in many other countries, is esteemed excellent food. In 

 Persia there is a breed of oxen entirely white, with lumps on the 

 back, and small blunt horns : they are strong, and are used to 

 carry burdens ; like the camel, they crouch down when about to 

 be loaded. In India, the oxen are of different sizes, and substi- 

 tuted for horses in travelling, as well as for drawing. They are 

 saddled like horses, and may be made to move at a tolerable 

 pace. A small string is drawn through the cartilage of the nos- 

 trils, which, being fastened to a long cord, answers the purpose 

 of a bridle. They will perform journies of above a thousand 

 miles, at the rate of thirty-six or forty miles a day, and their 

 pace is generally a moderate trot. They are also used in draw- 

 ing chariots, for which purpose white oxen are the most esteemed. 

 This circumstance, of oxen being used in India for riding, as 

 well as for drawing, is an additional proof of their extensive and 

 various utility, and shows that, if the exuberant goodness of the 

 Creator had not bestowed the horse, the ox might have served 

 as an useful substitute. 



THE GRUNTING OX 



Of Tartary, may, from its similarity to the bison, be considered 

 as a distinct species. Its distinguishing peculiarity consists in its 

 grunting like a hog, instead of lowing like an ox. It abounds 

 principally in the country of Tibet, where it is domesticated, 

 and answers all the purposes of our horned cattle : but there is 

 also a wild breed of these animals, which are exceeding fierce, 



