THE COMMON OX. 397 



When cattle are at rest, or not employed in 

 grazing or chewing their cud, they are observed 

 frequently to lick themselves. By this they raise 

 up the hair of their coats, and often swallow it in 

 considerable quantities. The substance, thus swal- 

 lowed, is indegestible, and remains in the stomach. 

 Here it collects into round, smooth balls, which 

 sometimes attain so great a size as to incommode 

 and even prevent digestion*. 



* The name of the male is bull: during the time toe sucks he is 

 called a bull-calf, until turned of a year old, when he is called a stirk 

 or yearling bull; then a two, three, or four-years old bull, until six, 

 when he is aged. When emasculated he is called an ox, or stot-calf, 

 until a year old, when he is called a stirk, stot or yearling, then a 

 two-years-old steer, and in some places a tidnter ; at three he is called 

 a three-years old steer, and at four he takes the name of ox or bullock. 

 The general name of the female is cow. When sucking the, dam 

 she is called cow-calf; then a yearling quey, or heifer or twinter ; the 

 next year a three-years old quey or heifer; and when/owr, she is first 

 called a cow. CULLEY, p. xvii. 



In Wales the male is called tarw; the female, buwch; and the 

 young, llo: in France, taureau, -cache, and veau : in Italy, toro t 

 caeca, and vitello: in Spain, toro, vaca, and turnera: in Pprtagal, 

 tauro, vaca, and vitela : in Germany, stier, kuh, and kalb: in Holland, 

 stier or bul, koe t and kaljf: in Sweden, tiur, ko, and kalff": in Den- 

 mark, tyr t koe, and kalv. 



The 



