210 



ANIMALS OF THE 



The musky smell also by which some have 

 been distinguished, is found common to many 

 of these kinds, in a state of nature; and does 

 not properly make the characteristic marks 

 of any. The particular kind of noise also, 

 which some of them are known to make, 

 which rather resembles grunting than bel- 

 lowing or lowing, is but a savage variety, 

 which many wild animals have, and yef lose 

 when brought into a state of tameness. For 

 these reasons, Mr. Buflfon, whom I have fol- 

 lowed in this description, is of opinion, that 

 the zebu, or little African cow, and the grunt- 

 ing, or Siberian cow, are but different races 

 of the -bison ; as the shape of the horns, or the 

 length of the hair, are never properly charac- 

 teristic marks of any animal, but are found 

 to vary with climate, food, and cultivation. 



In this manner the number of animals of the 

 cow kind, which naturalists have extended to 

 eight or ten sorts, are reduced to two ; and as 

 the utmost deference is paid to the opinion 

 of Mr. Buffon in this particular, I have taken 

 him for my guide. Nevertheless, there is 

 an animal of the cow kind, which neither he, 

 nor any other naturalist that I know of, has 

 hitherto described, yet which makes a very 

 distinct class, and may be added as a third 

 species. 



This animal was shown some years ago in 

 London, and seemed to unite many of the cha- 

 racteristics of the cow and the hog ; having 

 the head, the horns, and the tail, of the former; 

 with the bristles, the colour, and the grunting, 

 of the latter. It was about the size of an ass, 

 but broader and thicker; the colour resem- 



bling that of a hog, and the hair bristly, as in 

 that animal. The hair upon the body was 

 thin, as in the hog; and a row of bristles ran 

 along the spine, rather shorter and softer than 

 in the hog kind. The head was rather larger 

 than that of a cow ; the teeth were entirely 

 resembling those of that animal, and the tongue 

 was rough in like manner. It fed upon hay ; 

 and consequently its internal conformation 

 must have resembled that of the cow kind 

 more than the hog, whose food is always cho- 

 sen of a kind more succulent. The eyes were 

 placed in the head as with the cow, and were 

 pretty nearly of the same colour; the horns 

 were black and flattish, but bent rather back- 

 wards to the neck, as in the goat kind; the 

 neck was short and thick, and the back ra- 

 ther rising in the middle ; it was cloven-foot- 

 ed, like the cow, without those hinder claws 

 that are found in the hog kinds. But the great- 

 est variety of all in this extraordinary crea- 

 ture, which was a female, was, that it had but 

 two teats, and consequently, in that respect, 

 resembled neither of the kinds to w hich, in 

 other circumstances, it bore so strong a si- 

 militude. Whether this animal was a distinct 

 kind, or a monster, I will not prelend to say . 

 it was shown under the name of the bonasus; 

 and it was said, by the person who showed it. 

 to have come from India : but no credit is to 

 be given to interested ignorance ; the person 

 only wanted to make the animal appear as 

 extraordinary as possible; and I believe 

 would scarcely scruple a lie or two to increase 

 that wonder in us, by which he found the 

 means of living. 



CHAPTER XLIII. 



OF ANIMALS OF THE SHEEP AND GOAT KIND. 8 



AS no two animals are found entirely the 

 same, so it is not to be expected that any two 

 races of animals should exactly correspond in 



* In the sheep kind the horns are hollow, wrinkled, pe- 

 rennial, bent backwards and outwards, into a circular or 

 spiral form, and generally placed at the sides of the head ; 

 in the lower jaw there are eight front teeth, but none in 

 the upper ; there are no canine teeth in either. In the 



every particular. The goat and the sheep a: 

 apparently different in the form of thei r hndie 

 in their covering, and in their horns. The 



goat the horns are hollow, rough, compressed, and rise 

 somewhat erect, from the top of the hea.l, > ! bend back- 

 wards ; there are eight front fpeth in tlu- me 

 in the upper, and no canine teeth in either ; the chin i 

 bearded. 



