388 - MAMMALIA—OX. 
THE DOMES TIC OX 
Tnrovucnour the different regions of the world, the breed of oxen differs 
in all external appearances, according to the nature of the climate, or other 
circumstances. But the most remarkable difference is that which divides 
them into two classes; viz. the aurochs, or ox without a hunch on its back, 
and the bison, or hunched ox. All the tame oxen without hunches, have 
proceeded from the aurochs, and all with hunches are issues of the bison. 
In order to give a just idea of the varieties, we shall make a short enumera- 
tion of these animals, such as they are actually found to be, in different 
.parts of the earth. 
To begin with the north of Europe, the few oxen and cows which subsist 
in Iceland, are without horns, although they are of the same kind as our 
oxen. The size of these animals is rather relative to the plenty and quality 
of pasture, than to the nature of the climate. The Dutch have often brought 
lean cows from Denmark, which fatten prodigiously in their meadows, and 
which give plenty of milk. These Danish cows are longer than ours. The 
oxen ana cows of Ukraine, where there is excellent pasture, are said to be 
the largest in Europe; they are also of the same kind as our oxen. 
The breed of the bison, or hunched ox, fills all the southern provinces, at 
this present time. In the whole continent of India; the islands of the 
South Seas; in all Africa, from Mount Atlas to the Cape of Good Hope, we 
find, nothing but hunched oxen. And it even appears, that this breed, 
which has prevailed in all the hot countries, has many advantages over 
the others. These hunched oxen, like the bison, of which they are the 
issue, have the hair much softer and more glossy than our oxen; who, like 
the aurochs, are furnished with but little hair, which is of a harsh nature. 
These hunched oxen are also swifter, and more proper to supply the place 
of a horse; at the same time that they have a less brutal nature, and are 
not so clumsy and stupid as our oxen, they are more tractable, and sensible 
which way you would lead them. The regard the Indians have for these 
animals is so great, as to have almost degenerated into superstition. The 
ox, as the most useful animal, has appeared to them the most worthy of 
being revered; for this purpose, they have made an idol of the object of 
their veneration, a kind of beneficent and powerful divinity; for we are 
desirous of rendering all we respect, great, and capable of doing much 
good, or much harm. 
These hunched oxen, perhaps, vary again more than ours, in the colors 
of the hair, and the figure of the horns. The handsomest are all white, 
like the oxen of Lombardy. There are also some that are without horns; 
there are others, who have them very much elevated, and others so bent 

i Bos taurus, Lin. 
