i86 THE BUFFALO, &c. 



the aurochs. And, as the aurochs, which is our 

 ox in a wild ftate, is larger and flronger than 

 the domeftic kind, the bifon, or wild ox with 

 a bunch, is likewife Wronger and larger than 

 the Indian domeftic ox. He is alfo fometimes 

 fmaller ; but the fize depends folely on the quan- 

 tity of food. In Malabar*, Canara, Abyflinia, 

 and Madagafcar, where the meadows are fer- 

 tile and fpacious, the bifons are of a prodigious 

 iize. In Africa, and in Arabia Petrea f , where 

 the ground is dry and fterile, the zebus or bi- 

 fons are of a fmall fize. 



Oxen without bunches are fpread over all A- 

 merica. They were fucceffively tranfported thi- 

 ther 



tame, that, from a flock confiding of more than a thoufand, 

 a fingle animal, upon its name being called by the proprietor, 

 (for every individual has its peculiar name, like our dogs,) 

 inftantly runs to him ; Voyage de la Compagnie da bides de Hol- 

 lander torn. I. p. 490. See alfo Le Voyage de Mandelflc, 



torn, 1. )>. 578. 



* In the mountains of Malabar and Canara, there are 

 wild oxen fo large, that they approach the ftature of the 

 elephant ; while the domeftic oxen of the fame country are 

 fmall, meager, and fhort lived ; Voyage du P. Vincent- Marie, 



■p. 12. 



•}• I faw at Mafcati, a town of Arabia Petrea, another 

 fpecies of mountain ox, with glolTy hair, as white as that of 

 the ermine. It was fo handft mcly made, that it rather re> 

 fembled a flag than an ox. Its legs, indeed, were fhortcr ; but 

 they were fine and nimble. The neck was fhort. The head 

 and tail refcmb'.ed thefe of the common ox, but were bel 

 fliaped. The horns are black, hard, ftraight, beautiful, about 

 three or four palms in length, nnd garnilhed with rings which 



em as if they had beer, turned in a. lathe : du P I 



■■/>. 1 1. 



