OXEN. 173 



museum at La Plata in 1893. These were black and white in colour ; and the 

 characteristic features of the breed were much more strongly displayed in the bull 

 than in the cow. 



HIND VIEW OP SKULL OF GALLA OX, WITH THE HORN-SHEATHS 



REMOVED (& nat. size). After Riitimeyer. 



HUMPED CATTLE (Bos indicus). 



The common domesticated cattle of India are distinguished from those of 

 Europe, not only by the presence of the hump on the withers, but likewise by other 

 structural features, as well as by their general coloration, their voice, and their 

 habits. Hence, although they are only known in the domestic state, there can be 

 no hesitation in regarding these humped cattle as constituting a perfectly distinct 

 species. In Europe these animals are generally called zebu, but it does not appear 

 that any such name is known in India. 



In addition to the enormous hump on the withers, the Indian humped cattle 

 are characterised by a certain degree of convexity of the forehead, by the upper 

 border of the short horns being uniformly concave (as shown in the figure of the 

 skull of the African variety), by their large drooping ears, and also by the enormous 

 dewlap which hangs in folds along the whole length of the neck. In size and colour 

 these cattle are subject to a considerable amount of variation, but they are very 

 generally characterised by a distinct white ring round the fetlocks. While the 

 largest individuals stand as high as a buffalo, the smallest are but little taller than 

 a calf of a month old. The most common colour is a light ashy grey, which may 

 shade off into cream-colour, or even milk-white ; but various tints of red or brown 

 are often met with, and occasionally black individuals are seen. In disposition 

 these cattle are always gentle, and the larger varieties are employed in India for 

 drawing native carriages. The voice of the humped cattle is more of a grunt than 

 a low ; and these animals differ from European cattle in habits, insomuch as they 

 but seldom seek the shade, and never stand knee-deep in water. It need hardly 

 be mentioned that a certain number of privileged bulls are specially protected by 



