The Diving Cows of Plumas 157 



here in 1842, when old Pete Lassen struck the 

 Meadows. Some cows dive better than others, 

 and in deep pools they go almost out of sight. 

 Yes, they open their eyes under water, of course, 

 or they would n't see, and they don't choke, 

 because they 're gradually growing like fish. 



" You 've heard tell of Darwin's theory, I 

 reckon ? Well, it 's the same way with them 

 cows. In about nine million years them cows 

 will be livin' under water; they won't have any 

 legs and their tail will be like a whale's, or one 

 of them manatees. They 're getting web-footed 

 already," said the farmer jerking another rain- 

 bow out into the country. " I reckon a fin will 

 grow right out of the back, and they '11 have 

 blow-holes on the top of their head. That theory 

 ain't original with me by a long shot. In some 

 way some one told about my divin' cows, an' it 

 got into some scientific society, and they sent a 

 chap up here to investigate. I reckon he got 

 what he come for ; he said it was the most inter- 

 estin' thing he had ever seen or heard of. He 

 made a diagram of the cows, took the time of 

 their divin', told how old they was, how often 

 they dived, and what for, and the Lord knows 

 what, and then he formulated, as he said, the 

 theory that they was goin' backwards to fish, 

 and that from reachin' down they might develop 

 a trunk like an elephant; but they'd get to be 

 fish sooner or later. 



