NIATA CATTLE. 187 



characterizes, as I am informed by Dr. Falconer, 

 that great extinct ruminant of India, the Sivatheri- 

 um. The breed is very true ; and a niata bull and 

 cow invariably produce niata calves. A niata bull 

 with a common cow, or the reverse cross, produces 

 offspring having an intermediate character, but 

 with the niata characters strongly displayed : ac- 

 cording to Seiior Muniz, there is the clearest evi- 

 dence, contrary to the common belief of agricultu- 

 rists in analogous cases, that the niata cow when 

 crossed with a common bull, transmits her peculi- 

 arities more strongly than the niata bull when cross- 

 ed with a connnon cow. When the pasture is tol- 

 erably long, the niata cattle feed with the tongue 

 and palate as well as common cattle ; but during 

 the great droughts, when so many animals perish, 

 the niata breed is under a great disadvantage, and 

 would be exterminated if not attended to ; for the 

 common cattle, like horses, are able just to keep 

 alive by browsing with their lips on twigs of trees 

 and reeds ; this the niatas cannot so well do, as 

 their lips do not join, and hence they are found to 

 perish before the common cattle. This strikes me 

 as a good illustration of how little we are able to 

 judge from the ordinary habits of life, on what cir- 

 cumstances, occurring only at long intervals, the 

 rarity or extinction of a species may be detennined. 

 November Vdtli. — Passing the valley of Las Va- 

 cas, we slept at a house of a North American, who 

 worked a lime-kiln on the Arroyo de las Vivoras. 

 In the morning we rode to a projecting headland 

 on the banks of the river, called Punta Gorda. On 

 the way we tried to find a jaguar. There were 

 plenty of fresh tracks, and we visited the trees, on 

 which they are said to sharpen their claws; but 

 we did not succeed in disturbing one. From this 

 point the Rio Uruguay presented to our view a 



