INDEFINITE DEFINITIONS OF COL. SMITH. 171 



distinguish the genus described from every other genus. 

 From such observations as I have been enabled to make, 

 the five last-mentioned characters do not appear to accord 

 with either of these conditions. 



1st. The muzzle is stated to be black ; but in the Yak, 

 and in domestic cattle (as may be observed by any one), 

 the muzzle is very frequently white ; and granting that it 

 was invariably black, other genera of the ruminantia have 

 the muzzle black : and therefore it cannot be said to be 

 a distinguishing mark of the Genus Bos. 



2d. The ears are stated to be in general middle-sized. 

 To pass over the extreme vagueness of the terms "in 

 general" and "middle-sized," I may state that having 

 measured the ears of several species, I find them to be of 

 all lengths, varying from 5 inches to nearly 18 inches. 

 Such a term as "middle-sized" may be applied "in 

 general" to the ears of a vast variety of animals ; and 

 therefore it cannot be applied in particular to the Genus 

 Bos. 



3d. The body is said to be long. They are, indeed, of 

 all lengths, from 4 ft. 6 in. to nearly 11 ft. Can the 

 term long be equally applicable to animals of such 

 different lengths ? 



4th. The legs are said to be solid. In some species 

 the legs are very slender, as the Zebu, Manilla Buffalo, 

 and Domestic Ox. 



5th. The stature is said to be large. From actual 

 measurement I find the stature to vary from 2 ft. 8 in. 

 to upwards of 6 ft. ; the smaller species weighing not more 

 than 100 Ibs., the larger weighing as much as 2000 Ibs. 

 Can the term large be equally applicable to animals of 

 such different sizes ? 



