ZEBU BEEED.] 



CATTLE, AND THEIE VAEIETIES. 



[zebu breed. 



hump, which he erroneously terms the Auroch 

 race, occupies the cold and temperate zones, 

 and is thinly distributed towards the regions 

 of the south. The contrary, however, is the 

 fact. The ox with the hump, which he terras 

 also erroneously the Bison race, exclusively 

 occupies all the southern regions — namely, 

 the entire continent of the Indian empire, the 

 islands of the Eastern and Southern seas, and 

 the whole of Africa, from Mount Atlas to the 

 Cape of Good Hope, includiug Madagascar, 

 and the island of St. Juan, on the channel of 

 Mosambique. "With respect to the Cape of 

 Good Hope, it is certain that the zebu race 

 does not prevail there, at least in the present 

 day ; but F. Leguat, in the narration of his Voi/- 

 ages, says, that " the oxen are of three sorts at 

 the Cape of Good Hope, all of a large size, and 

 very active. Some have a hump on the back ; 

 others have the horns long and pendent ; w'hile 

 others have them turned up, and well shaped, 

 as in English cattle." 



With respect to the ox represented on the 

 Greek and Eoman sculptures — which is not of 

 the true zebu race — it must be confessed that, 

 in many points, and more particularly in the 

 pendulous, folded dewlap, it resembled the 

 zebu, and may probably have been the ulti- 

 mate product of a mixture of the zebu race, 

 introduced at an early date from India, with 

 the ordinary cattle of Greece and Italy. Tbis, 

 however, is a mere supposition. In the Greek 

 sculptures the ox is represented without 

 any hump, but the withers are high, and the 

 crupper rounded. "To the classical anti- 

 quary," says a talented writer, "we beg to 

 suggest that the dewlap of the Brahmin bull 

 offers an object of much attention and interest, 

 by reason of its sharp and decided outline, and 

 perpendicular creases or folds, wonderfully 

 verifying the correctness of those Greek sculp- 

 tures on bronze and marble, in medals and 

 statuary, in which we see representations of 

 Victory sacrificing a bull, of the oxen of Ceres, 

 &c. These representations will no longer be 

 considered out of drawing by those who may 

 have an opportunity of examining the sacred 

 bull of India, nor exaggerated in their fore 

 quarters ; although critics of the last century, 

 less fortunate iu tbis respect than the visitors 

 of the Zoological Society's gardens, have deter- 

 mined them, without hesitation,to be altogether 

 G16 



incorrect." Several beautiful specimens of the 

 zebu ox, both of the large-sized variety, and 

 also of the dwarf caste, are iu the Zoological 

 Gardens. They are remarkable for their 

 docility and quiet temj^r. 



Mr. Touatt informs us, that a beautiful zebu 

 bull and cow, of the Nagore breed, were, on 

 one occasion, exhibited at the Christmas Cattle- 

 show ; and adds, that they were bred by Lieu- 

 teuant- colonel Skinner, on his farm at Dauah, 

 near Pokah, on the borders of the Bichaneer 

 desert, a hundred miles to the westward of 

 Delhi. Tliey were of the finest breed of Indian 

 cattle, used by the higher orders to draw their 

 state carriages, and much valued for size, 

 speed, and endurance. The specimens in ques- 

 tion " arrived at Calcutta, a distance of 1,400 

 miles, when under six months old. They were 

 sent as a present to Mr, AVood, who was then 

 residing at Calcutta, and by whom they were 

 forwarded to Mr. Perkins. Colonel Skinner 

 had a large stock of them ; and six or seven 

 beasts were always kept saddled, to carry the 

 military despatches. They remained saddled 

 three or four hours ; and, if not wanted in that 

 time, fresh ones were brought out to relieve 

 their companions. They would travel, with a 

 soldier on their back, fifteen or sixteen hours 

 in the day, at the rate of six miles an hour. 

 The action of the Nagore cattle is particularly 

 fine — nothing like the English cattle, with the 

 sideway circular action of their hind legs. They 

 bring their hind legs under them in as straight 

 a line as the horse. They are very active, and 

 can clear a five-barred gate with the greatest 

 ease. Mr. Perkins had a calf which leaped 

 over an iron fence higher than any five-barred 

 gate, and the bull frequently jumped over the 

 same fence in order to get at the water ; and 

 when he had drunk his fill, leaped back again. 

 * * * Mr. Perkins observes, that the chief 

 advantage of these Brahmin bulls would pro- 

 bably consist in their speed and strength, in 

 both of which they surpass any of our breeds." 



Of the extensive use and consequent value 

 of the Brahmin or large zebu breed, in their 

 native climate, we can scarcely form an ade- 

 quate idea. In some parts of India the dwarf 

 races are unknown, and the large is bred ex- 

 clusively. According to an observation of 

 Colonel Sykes, in the Froceedings of the 

 Zoological Society, the Brinjarees, a singularly 



