74 Miscellaneous. 



"Their heads arc ligliter and more deer- like than any of the Ox 

 tribe I have before seen, with the eye remarkably full and lively, but 

 still gentle. The callosity on the muzzle is narrower than tiiat of 

 ordinary cattle, and extends farther upwards towards the forehead. 

 The horns are of moderate size and prettily curved, and furrowed 

 longitudinally as well as transversely at the base, giving almost the 

 appearance of the butt of those of the stag. These oxen are of 

 middling size, but have an amazing depth of chest, and considerable 

 width between the fore-legs : very little dew-lap ; no hump ; but the 

 spinous processes on the side of the hump so elongated as to give 

 the idea of a hump having been dissected off. Legs remarkably clean 

 and of moderate length, and so formed as to indicate great strength 

 and activity. Buttocks full and square behind. Tail remarkably 

 fine and tapering to a sharp point, with a moderate tuft of hair. An 

 oval mark of a yellowish white colour begins at the root of the tail 

 and descends nearly to the hocks, including both buttocks ; the length 

 of this mark is to its breadth as 5 to 3. The skin extremely fine and 

 soft, with a coat like that of a race-horse. Colour varying, but very 

 few pied and none quite black ; a light bay predominating, in some 

 individuals beautifully marked with small white spots. These cha- 

 racters belong to the whole cargo, about ninety in number, and are 

 not therefore to be considered as individual peculiarities. 



" The animals were all very gentle, and their appearance, from the 

 form and lightness of the head and the lively mildness of the eye, was 

 superior in beauty to that of any lot of cattle I ever saw. 



" The captain who brought them informs me that the natives 

 would not part with their cows, and every one of these of which I 

 speak was castrated. Having been put in a cold shed after landing, 

 many of them got ill, and some died ; and as we have suflFered terri- 

 bly from a murrain which visited our cattle two or three years ago*, 

 these oxen were almost all bought for slaughter, as the planters 

 fancied the disorder which attacked them to be something belonging 

 to the breed. I only know one pair surviving, and they work ad- 

 mirably well, being as active as Devonshire oxen. I send you a 

 pair of the horns, but unluckily forgot to send a skull till it was too 

 late to obtain one- The beef was very fine-grained, but of a darker 

 colour than usual. 



" I have lately seen it remarked that cross-bred animals, though 

 possessing some advantages, are generally inferior in stamina to those 

 of unmixed breed, and more liable to disease ; such observations as I 

 have been able to make fully bear out the truth of this position. 

 We have here many Timor ponies, as well as from Java ; and their 

 powers of endurance and exemption from disease are far superior to 

 those of Cape or European horses. The Timor are very li'rht but 

 wiry, seldom reaching 1 3 hands high ; they are spirited and active, 

 rather low before, and are very sure. The Java are larger and 

 stouter, many reaching 13 and some 13^ hands ; these generally carry 

 the head and tail very high, and are safe and fast. The most valued 



• See Annals, vol. xv. p. 141. 



