[Keprinteri from TH AMERICAN NATURALIST, Vol. XLVL, July. 1912. J 



KVIDENOE OF ALTERNATIVE INHEEITANCE 



IX THE F_ GENERATION FROM CROSSES 



OF BOS INDICUS ON BOS TAURUS 



DR. ROBERT K. NABOURS 



KAKSAS STATE AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE 



THE common domestic cattle of India appear to be a 

 distinct pecies (Bos iiidicus). They are mainly charac- 

 terized by a large hump on the fore shoulders, short 

 horns, large drooping ears, extensive dewlap and sheath 

 (Fig. 1). There are several varieties, or breeds, but they 

 are so commonly hybridized that it is exceedingly difficult 

 to ascertain which are the pure strains and which hybrids. 

 In this respect they are probably analogous to Bos 

 taunts. In size they vary greatly, ranging from very 

 diminutive breeds to those the largest individuals of 

 which weigh upwards of 2,000 pounds. Th<? males are 

 considerably heavier than the cows. The colors also vary 

 considerably, the most common being creamy buff, brown, 

 ashy gray, red, black and white, and blends of these. 



They appear to be highly resistant to the cattle dis- 

 eases of tropical and subtropical countries, and they are 

 immune to the attacks of cattle ticks, that is, ticks do not 

 remain attached to them and suck their blood (Figs. 1 

 and 9), and they are said to be less liable to suffer from 

 the effects of the bites of insects than any of the breeds of 

 Bos taurus. 



They are very gentle and docile. In India the males 

 are used as beasts of draught, and are yoked to the plow, 

 being the main animal used for tilling the ground. They 

 are very agile, being able to travel thirty or more miles 

 a day, carrying a heavy burden, or drawing a cart with a 

 considerable load on it. Recently they have been intro- 

 duced into Jamaica in considerable numbers, where they 



4'_>8 



526789 



