62 THE COMMON OX. 



THE COMMON OX 



Is the Bison reduced to a domestic state ; in which it 

 runs into numerous varieties, depending on climate and 

 other circumstances. The breed natural to these countries 

 appears to have been inferior to those of the continent. 

 In the highlands of Scotland, the cattle are very small and 

 hornless ; this latter peculiarity is likewise found in a large 

 breed imported from Poland. There is a breed of wild 

 cattle in a nobleman's park near Berwick upon Tweed, 

 whose manners it is probable are such as they were before 

 the subjection of its species to the power of man. When 

 interrupted, the whole herd retreats for a certain space, 

 and then returns in a semicircle towards the intruder; 

 these operations they repeat, drawing nearer at every re- 

 turn, till it is no longer safe to remain within their reach. 

 The cows hide their calves in some sequestered spot, going 

 to suckle them two or three times a day. The Ox is perhaps 

 the most useful servant of man; while living he performs 

 the most laborious tasks of draught, while the cow fur- 

 nishes us with milk, cheese, and butter : the dead animal 

 provides us with beef, so important an article of food ; 

 its horns with various utensils, or, when boiled, with a 

 semi-transparent substance, in some instances substituted 

 for glass ; their dung is useful as manure ; glue is made of 

 the cartilages, boiled in water till they become gelatinous, 

 and then dried : the bone is employed instead of ivory ; 

 vellum is made from the skin of the calves. The blood is 

 used for the making of Prussian blue, and in refining sugar ; 

 sadlers and others use a fine and very strong thread made 

 from the sinews. The hair is serviceable in many manu- 

 factures ; and the suet, fat, and tallow, are made into 

 candles. The English butchers slaughter the ox in a 

 very cruel manner, by blows on the head, and in this they 

 persist in spite of the many efforts that have been made to 

 abolish the custom. 



The Buffalo is a little larger than the ox, and similar 

 in form : his head is larger, and his horns differently shaped. 

 The appearance of the Buffalo is disagreeable having long 

 and rough hair, which is of a dark brown. j^is a native 

 cf Asia and Africa, and is very furious. 4W 



