648 MR. R. SWINHOE ON CHINESE MAMMALS. [June 23, 
78. Bos cu1nensis. (South-China Cattle.) 
The small Yellow Cow of South China isa peculiar race, combi- 
ning, as it séems to do, the characters of Bos indicus of India and 
Bos taurus of Europe. It has the head and dewlap in character 
with the former, with a small hump, the straight back, and hind 
quarters of the latter. Mr. Blyth maintains that it is a cross between 
the two; and this opinion may perhaps be borne out by the fact that 
the North-Chinese large cattle are certainly like our European ordinary 
breed. In the ‘Taiwanfoo Gazetteer’ I read this passage under the 
head ‘“‘ Yellow Cow ”’:—“ The neighbouring hills have this animal in 
rw V\ Wye 

Bos chinensis. 
abundance. They are caught and tamed, and are trained for use in 
the ploughing of fields and drawing of carts;” and further on, 
“Formosa has an abundance of wild cattle, occurring in herds of 
hundreds and thousands. When it is desired to capture them, a 
wooden stockade is erected with four sides, in one of which is left a 
door. The cattle are driven towards it until they all enter, when 
the gate is shut on them and they are barred in and left to starve. 
They are afterwards by degrees haltered and bridled, and treated to 
fodder and beans, until they become not different from domestic 
cattle.” Were these wild cattle indigenous to the island, or were 
they simply feral descendants of an introduced race? If the latter, 
who introduced them? The Chinese, when they commenced to 
settle in Formosa, found enormous wild herds already there. The 
