THE BLT^E COW. 145 



the scenery throughout unrivalled, — nature has cer- 

 tainly favoured this part of India beyond any other 

 that I have visited. We continually passed some beauti- 

 ful flowering shrubs, and the hedges were covered with 

 creepers whose Canarese names were all I could learn ; 

 one was called Haggeri Bh(i, a scarlet pendant barely an 

 inch long, another Bati l^^d (Plate XVII.), flower like that 

 of a crimson fuchsia with purple centre and a bright red 

 ovary, a most graceful plant growing to a considerable 

 size ; I also noticed a small tree bearing white flowers 

 resembling bouquets of white pinks of a fragrant 

 vanilla perfume, name unknown. We rode over 

 acres covered with Cape Jasmine (Gardenia Jio7^ida) 

 and then passing on through a jungle with occasional 

 breaks of pasture we came upon a herd of cattle, 

 amongst them there was, what appeared to my correct 

 eye, a blue cow, and on examining her closer I found 

 that the optical effect was produced by minute bluish- 

 gray spots under the skin. I had often heard of blue 

 cattle in India and this solved the mystery to my 

 satisfaction. In northern India, and especially in 

 Rajputana. we are told the forests hold many wild 

 blue bulls, there called Neilghau, which, like the 

 peacock, are sacred animals ; all blue things are deemed 

 so in honour of Krishna, who is always represented 

 of the same colour. 



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