200 THE WHITE URUS, OR 



twice or thrice a-day, for the purpose of supplying 

 them with the necessary nourishment. On these oc- 

 casions it is not a little dangerous to approach the 

 place of retreat, the parent cow being seldom at any 

 great distance, and always attacking any person or 

 animal approaching it with the utmost resolution and 

 fury. The young calves, when unexpectedly ap- 

 proached, betray great trepidation, by throwing their 

 ears back close upon their necks, and lying squat 

 down upon the ground. When hard pressed, they 

 have been known to run at their keepers in a butting 

 menacing attitude, in order to force their retreat. 

 The young are produced at all seasons of the year, 

 but chiefly in spring. The mode of catching the 

 calves is to steal upon them whilst slumbering or 

 sleeping in their retreat when they are a day or two 

 old, and put a cloth over their mouths, to pre- 

 vent them crying, and then carry them off to a place 

 of safety without the reach of the herd, otherwise 

 the cry of the calf would attract the dam, and she, 

 by loud bellowing, would bring the whole flock to 

 the spot, to attack the keeper in the most furious 

 manner. These cattle are seldom seen scattering 

 themselves indiscriminately over the pasture, like 

 other breeds of cattle, but are generally observed to 

 feed in a flock. They are very chary of being ap- 

 proached by strangers, and seem to have the power 

 of smelling them at a great distance. When any 

 one approaches them unexpectedly, they generally 

 scamper off to a little distance to the leeward, and 



