ORDER ARTIODACTYLA : EVEN -TOED UNGULATES 525 







forest district and vicinity ; about 30 are now left. There has prob- 

 ably been crossing with feral domestic cattle. 



In the North Bandoeng region the Banteng ought to exist still in 

 Pamanoekan and Tjiasem. In one place 15 animals are reported. 



' In the Middle Preanger region it is found only on the south coast 

 in Tjipondok, where it is being exterminated through shooting. 



In the West Preanger region there are considerable numbers. In 

 the area which will form the Tjikepoeh wildlife reserve there are 

 several hundred and possibly a thousand. In two other areas there 

 are about 300. The numbers have increased recently, but they were 

 decreasing rapidly before the introduction of the Game Preservation 

 Ordinance. The good position of the stock in Tjikepoeh has been 

 brought about by the "Vereeniging Venatoria," which has organized 

 the hunting. Efforts have been made (but so far in vain) to abolish 

 licenses for shooting game in the other forest reserves where Ban- 

 teng are found. 



In the Dj ember region the species formerly existed in great 

 numbers in the forests of South Besoeki. Herds of 30-50 animals 

 were seen as late as 1920-25. In 1937 one herd of 6-10 animals was 

 seen. Since the introduction of the Game Preservation Ordinance 

 there has been practically no hunting. 



The Banteng is quite numerous in the southern parts of the 

 regency of Tasikmalaja. Various forest reserves in this district have 

 been closed to all hunting. 



In these reports there is general agreement on poaching and the 

 advance of cultivation as the chief causes of depletion. The natives 

 like the Banteng's meat very much. The hides are used for leather, 

 and the horns for various articles. There is a good demand for the 

 species on the part of traders in wild animals. It does some harm 

 in paddy, rubber, and fiber plantations. 



Domestication. On a previous page mention has been made of 

 domesticated Bantengs in the Malay countries, and especially in 

 the islands of Bali and Lombok. These apparently bear a close 

 resemblance to the wild Banteng. Keller (1902, pp. 144-154, 217) 

 discusses various other domestic cattle of the Old World (and par- 

 ticularly the Zebu) as descendants or derivatives of the Banteng. 



Malay Banteng. Sapi Utan (Malayan) 



BIBOS SONDAICUS BUTLERi (Lydekker) 



Bos sondaicus butleri Lydekker, Field, vol. 105, p. 151, 1905, and Jour. Fed. 



Malay States Mus., vol. 1, p. 62, 1905. ("Perak," Malay Peninsula.) 

 FIG.: Jour. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc., vol. 13, p. 192, fig., 1900. 



So little definite information is available concerning this animal 

 that it almost belongs in the mythical class. The name butleri 

 was based upon a skull. 



