120 THE OX TRIBE. 



THE SANGA, OR GALLA OX. 



tispiece). Bos ? 



This singular animal is only found in Abyssinia, and is 

 famous on account of its horns, which are of an almost 

 incredible size. 



Bruce the traveller, in speaking of these horns, says, 

 " The animal furnishing these monstrous horns is a cow 

 or bull which would be considered of a middling size in 

 England. This extraordinary size of its horns proceeds 

 from a disease that the cattle have in these countries, of 

 which they die, and is probably derived from their pasture 

 and climate. When the animal shows symptoms of this 

 disorder, he is set apart in the very best and quietest 

 grazing place, and never driven or molested from that 

 moment. His value lies then in his horns, for his body 

 becomes emaciated and lank, in proportion as the horns 

 grow large; at the last period of his life, the weight of 

 his head is so great that he is unable to lift it up, or at 

 least for any space of time. The joints of his neck become 

 callous at last, so that it is not any longer in his power 

 to lift his head. In this situation he dies, with scarcely 

 flesh to cover his bones, and it is then his horns are of the 

 greatest value. I have seen horns that would contain as 

 much as a common sized water-pail, such as they make 

 use of in the houses in England."* 1 



* Jerom Lobo, in his account of Abyssinia, mentions that some of the 

 horns of the Buffaloes of that country will hold ten quarts. 



