518 DESCRIPTION OF A SPECIES 



wild Gayal is about the size of the wild buf- 

 falo of India. The tame Gayal, among the Cucis., 

 being bred in nearly the same habits of freedom, 

 and on the same food, without ever undergoing 

 any labour, grows to the same size with the wild 

 one. 



* He lives to the age of fifteen, or twenty, years : 

 and, when three years old, the Gayal cow receives 

 the bull ; goes eleven months with young ; and 

 will not again admit his embrace until the follow- 

 ing season after she has brought forth. 



* The Gayal cow gives very little milk, and 

 does not yield it long ; but, what she gives is of 

 a remarkably rich quality ; almost equally so with 

 the cream of other milk, and which it also re- 

 sembles in colour. The Cucis make no use what- 

 ever of the milk, but rear the Gayals entirely for 

 the sake of their flesh and skins. They make their 

 shields of the hides of this animal. The flesh of 

 the Gayal is in the highest estimation among the 

 Cucis ; so much so, that no solemn festival is 

 ever celebrated without slaughtering one or more 

 Gayals^ according to the importance of the occa.- 

 sion. 



* The Cucis train their Gayals to no labour ; al- 

 though, from the great strength and gentle dis- 

 position of the animal, he must be very com- 

 petent to every purpose, either of draught, or 

 carriage, to which the buffalo, or the ox, is ap- 

 plicable. 



' The domesticated Gayals are allowed by the 

 Cucis to roam at large, during the day, through 

 the forest, in the neighbourhood of the village : 



