258 THE OX. 



devotees. These consecrated bulls are described by English 

 residents as absolute pests in the villages of India, thrust- 

 ing their noses into the stalls of fruiterers and pastry-cooks, 

 robbing the peasants of their little treasure, and helping 

 themselves to whatever they please. The reverence, how- 

 ever, paid to the Bull and the Cow is not extended to the 

 emasculated Ox, who is treated with the utmost harshness, 

 under the solitary exception of obedience to the law common 

 to the Hindoos and Jews, of not muzzling the Ox when he 

 treadeth out the corn. 



Examples of the larger as well as smaller races of these 

 animals have been frequently brought to England, and they 

 have been made to cross the common breeds of the country. 

 The mixed offspring are fruitful with one another, and the 

 characteristic hump disappears with the first cross. In the 

 year 1832, a bull and cow of the finer breed were exhibited 

 at the Christmas Smithfield Show in London, under the name 

 of Nagpore cattle. The following account of them, derived 

 from Mr Perkins, to whom they belong, is given by Mr 

 Youatt, in his valuable Treatise on Cattle, contained in the 

 Library of Useful Knowledge. 



" They were bred by Lieutenant-Colonel Skinner, at his 

 farm at Danah, near Pokah, on the borders of the Bichaneer 

 desert, 100 miles to the westward of Delhi. They are not 

 Buffaloes, but of the highest breed of Indian cattle. They 

 are used in India by the higher orders to draw their state- 

 carriages, and are much valued for their size, speed, and en- 

 durance, and sell at very high prices. These specimens 

 arrived at Calcutta, a distance of 1400 miles, in January 

 1829, and were then something under six months old. They 

 were sent as a present to Mr Wood, who was then residing 

 at Calcutta, and by whom they were presented to Mr Perkins. 

 Colonel Skinner has a large stock of them, and six or seven 

 beasts are always kept saddled to carry the military dis- 

 patches. They remain saddled three or four hours, and if 

 not wanted in that time, fresh ones are brought to relieve 



