Chap. 70.] OXEN. 327 



of camels, and that the extremity of their horns are four feet 

 asunder. In our part of the world the most valuable oxen are 

 those of Epirus, owing, it is said, to the attention paid to 

 their breed by King Pyrrhus. 82 This perfection was acquired 

 by not permitting them to breed until after their fourth year. 

 By these means he brought them to a very large size, and de- 

 scendants of this breed are still to be seen at the present day. 

 But in our times, we set heifers to breed in their first year, or, 

 at the latest, in their second. Bulls are fit for breeding in their 

 fourth year ; one being sufficient, it is said, for ten cows during 

 the whole year. If the bull, after covering, goes to the right 

 side, the produce will be a male ; if to the left, a female. 83 

 Conception takes place after a single union; but if, by any 

 accident, it should not have taken place, the cow seeks the 

 male again, at the end of twenty days. She brings forth in 

 the tenth month ; whatever may be produced before that time 

 cannot be reared. Some writers say, that the birth takes place 

 the very day on which the tenth month is completed. This 

 animal but rarely produces twins. The time of covering begins 

 at the rising of the Dolphin, the day before the nones of 

 January, 84 and continues for the space of thirty days. Some- 

 times it takes place in the autumn ; and among those nations 

 which live upon milk, they manage so as to have a supply of 

 it at all times of the year. Bulls never cover more than twice 

 in the same day. The ox is the only animal that walks back- 

 wards while it is feeding ; among the Garamantes, they feed 

 in no other manner. 85 The females live fifteen years at the 

 longest, and the males twenty ; they arrive at their full vigour 

 in their fifth year. It is said that they are made fat by being 



82 This alleged superiority is mentioned by Aristotle, Hist. Anim. B.iii. 

 c. 91, by Varro, B. ii. c. 5, and by Cplumella, B. vi. c. 1 ; but it is re- 

 marked by Dalechamps and Hardouin, that the appellation of Pyrrhic given 

 to these oxen, was more probably derived from their red colour, Trt'ppog, 

 than from the name of th,e king. The materials of this chapter are prin- 

 cipally from the above writers, especially Aristotle, Hist. Anim. B. vi. c. 

 21, and B. viii. c. 7. B. 



83 This singular notion is mentioned by Varro and Columella, ubi supra ; 

 Cuvier says, that it is the origin of the pretended secret of producing the 

 sexes at pleasure, which was published by Millot ; Ajasson, vol. vi. p. 

 461. B. 84 4th January. See B. xviii. c. 64. 



85 This is mentioned by Herodotus, B. iv. c. 183 ; this peculiarity in 

 their mode of taking their food is ascribed to the extraordinary length of 

 the horns ; it is also mentioned by -ZElian, Anim. Nat. B. xvi. c. 33. B. 



