814 MASAI, TUllKANA, SUK, NANDI, ETC. 



castralt' their catth- \\]\vu llic youn^- Inills are arrived at maturity. An 

 interesting descri^jtion of their procedure in this case is given by 

 Dr. J. R. Stordy (Government A'eterinary Surgeon) in the Veterinarian* 

 A l)arren cow is not an infreijuent occurrence in the Masai herds, and 

 such animals are selected fur fattening and slaughter, as their meat is 

 considered to he b( tter eating than that of the bullocks. The milk is 

 generally kept in long. bottle-sha])(>d gourds with leather covers. !\Iilk 

 is always druid< fresh, and the gourds that contain it are carefully 

 cleanetl witli burning grass or with a sbghtly acrid liquid made from the 

 leaves of a sage-like i)lant. These methods of cleaning the gourd some- 

 times impart a flavour to the milk not altogether agreeable to the 



452. MASAI CATTLE, NAKCKO 



European }ialate. The cattle are always branded with some mark peculiar 

 to the owner, who may also cut their ears in some special way so that 

 the jieast may be easily recognised as his own property. After coming 

 back from the pasture the cattle are carefully examined, generally in 

 close contact with a large smoky fire, so that the ticks may be removed 

 from their bodit-s. The cattle are perfectly amenable to small boys, who 

 usually act as the cowherds. 



The rjoafs and sheep belong to the breeds common to so much of 

 Central Africa— the goat being small and plump, with short horns, while 

 the sheep are hairy, hornless, with drooping ears and fat tails, though 



* October, 1900. 



