625 







3833. The horns of a Transylvanian breed or variety of the Common Ox (Bos 

 Taurus). Hunterian. 



3834. The horns of an Italian breed or variety of the Common Ox (Bos Tan- 



s'). Hunterian. 



3 S3 5. The horns of the Galla or Sanga, an Abyssinian variety of the Common Ox 

 (Bos Taurus). 



The following extract connected with these extraordinary horns is from Mr. Salt's ' Travels 

 in Abyssinia,' p. 258 : " Here (Gibba), for the first time, I was gratified by the sight of the 

 Galla Oxen, or Sanga, celebrated throughout Abyssinia for the remarkable size of their horns. 

 Three of these animals were grazing among the other cattle, in perfect health ; which circum- 

 stance, together with the testimony of the natives, ' that the size of the horns is in no instance 

 occasioned by disease,' completely refutes the fanciful theory given by Mr. Bruce respecting 

 this creature. It appears by the papers annexed to the last edition of Mr. Brace's work, that 

 he never met with the Sanga, but that he made many attempts to procure specimens of the 

 horns through Yanni, a Greek, residing at Adowa. This old man very correctly speaks of 

 them, in his letters, as being brought only by the Cafilas from Antalo ; and I have now 

 ascertained that they are sent to this country as valuable presents by the chiefs of the Galla, 

 whose tribes are spread to the southward of Enderta. So far then, as to the description 

 of the horns and the purposes to which they are applied by the Abyssinians, Mr. Bruce's 

 statements may be considered to be correct ; but with respect to ' the disease which occa- 

 sions their size, probably derived from then- pasture and climate ;' ' the care taken of them to 

 encourage the progress of this disease ; ' ' the emaciation of the animal ; ' and the ' extending 

 of the disorder to the spine of the neck, which at last becomes callous, so that it is not any 

 longer in the power of the animal to lift its head;' they all prove to be merely ingenious 

 conjectures, thrown out by the author solely for the exercise of his own ingenuity. I should 

 not venture to speak so positively on this matter, had I not indisputably ascertained the 

 facts ; for the Ras having subsequently made me a present of three of these animals alive, 

 I found them not only in excellent health, but so exceedingly wild, that I was obliged to 

 have them shot. 



" The horns of one of these are now deposited in the Museum of the College of Surgeons, 

 and a still larger pair are placed in the collection of Lord Valentia (now Earl Mountnorris) at 

 Arley Hall. The length of the largest horn of this description which I met with was nearly 

 four feet, and its circumference at the base twenty-one inches. It might have been expected, 

 that the animal carrying horns of so extraordinary a magnitude would have proved larger 

 than others belonging to the same genus ; but in every instance which came under my obser- 

 vation, this was by no means the case." 



Presented by the late Henry Salt, Esq. 



4L 



