82 ECONOMIC MAMMALOGY 



The cattle, swine and sheep for all other countries are estimated 

 as follows: cattle, 402,564,000; swine, 103,278,000; sheep, 

 240,003,000. It was also estimated by the Agricultural Department 

 that in 1926 there were 7,000,000 dogs in the United States. 10 In 1917 

 it was estimated that there were 35,000,000 horses in Russia, 3,000,000 

 in Canada and 8,000,000 in Argentina. 11 



Though the horse is the most important draft animal and beast of 

 burden in the world, it is by no means the only important one. Austin in 

 1917 estimated that there were in the world 100,000,000 horses, 80 

 per cent in the temperate zone and 20 per cent in the tropics ; and in 

 tropical and oriental countries 3,000,000 camels, 10,000,000 donkeys 

 and 20,000,000 carabao (water buffalo) ; that the pound-loads various 

 animals would carry on their backs are as follows: 12 man, 75 to 150; 

 llama, 50-200; donkey, 100-200; horse, 206-250; camel, 350-500; ele- 

 phant, 1800-2500. 



The llamas and alpacas of South America have been domesticated 

 for many centuries, and provide the natives with milk, meat, wool and 

 leather. The latter is also a beast of burden. Everyone is familiar with 

 the pictures of great caravans of camels in Asia and Africa, carrying 

 passengers and loads of merchandise, sometimes hitched to wheeled 

 vehicles, and furnishing meat, milk, leather and hair for the weaving 

 of cloth. 



The carabao, or water buffalo, is said to be the "strongest beast of 

 draft in the world except the elephant." 13 It is extensively used in 

 India, the Philippines, Hawaiian Islands and other localities, and is 

 particularly useful in rice fields and other places where the ground is 

 soft and muddy. The yak, another member of the ox family, has 

 been domesticated on the high plains of Thibet, for its flesh and milk, 

 and is used as a beast of burden. The humped oxen of India are seen 

 drawing all sorts of vehicles. The American bison is now being bred 

 in a domesticated or semi-domesticated state in various localities, but, 

 though it possesses great strength, is not being used as a work ani- 

 mal. 



The Asiatic elephant has long been used for hauling heavy loads, 



9 World Almanac for 1928, p. 376. 



10 /&*., p. 435- 



11 Holmes, Hides and skins, Yearbook U. S. Dept. Agric. for 1917, pp. 425-446. 



12 Austin, Queer methods of travel in curious corners of the world, Natl. Geog. 

 Mag., xvm, 688, 1907. 



13 The wanderings of the water buffalo, Ann. Rept. Smithsonian Inst. for 1901, 

 pp. 679-682; reprinted from London Spectator, Aug. 31, 1901. 



