THE GAYAL. 63 



"His disposition is gentle : even when wild in his native 

 hills, he is not considered to be a dangerous animal ; never 

 standing the approach of man, much less bearing his 

 attack. 



" To avoid the noon-day heat, he retires to the deepest 

 shade of the forest ; preferring the dry acclivity of the 

 hill to repose on, rather than the low swampy ground 

 below ; and never, like the Buffalo, wallowing in mud. 



"Gayals have been domesticated among the Cucis from 

 time immemorial; and without any variation in their 

 appearance from the wild stock. No difference whatever 

 is observed in the colour of the wild and tame breeds; 

 brown of different shades being the general colour of 

 both. 



"The wild Gayal is about the size of the wild Buffalo of 

 India. The tame Gayals among the Cucis, being bred in 

 nearly the same habits of freedom, and on the same food, 

 without ever undergoing any labour, grow to the same 

 size with the wild ones. 



" The Cucis makes no use whatever of the milk, but rear 

 the Gayals entirely for the sake of their flesh and skins ; 

 they make their shields of the hides of these animals. 

 The flesh of the Gayal is in the highest estimation among 

 the Cucis; so much so, that no solemn festival is ever 

 celebrated without slaughtering one or more Gayals, ac- 

 cording to the importance of the occasion. 



" The domesticated Gayals are allowed by the Cucis to 

 roam at large during the day, through the forest, in the 

 neighbourhood of the village ; but as evening approaches, 

 they all return home of their own accord; the young 

 Gayal being early taught this habit, by being regularly 

 fed every night with salt, of which he is very fond ; and 



