!76 



MR. ERNEST GIBSON ON 



be surprized to learn that the skull figured in Dr. Holland's hook 

 as existent in the La Plata Museum belongs to the animal in 

 question. The old cow was of a totally different disposition 

 from her daughter, being perfectly tame and placid. She was 

 kept in a little lucerne-paddock at the back of my Estancia 

 business office, and would frequently, approach close to, and gaze 

 through, the windows. But I confess that I never glanced up 

 on feeling the shadow cast on my desk, and met the aspect of her 

 extraordinary visage in such close proximity, without experiencing 

 a distinct thrill and shock of almost terror. She died also in due 

 time of sheer old age whilst I was in England, and unfortunately 

 the lower jaw was not retained for me along with the skull. 



Text-figure 2. 



bkull of old Niata cow. 



During some forty years residence in the River Plate (mostly 

 in the country districts), it has not been my good fortune to 

 gather any further information regarding the Niata type. Even 

 before the present improvement on the original Creole race had 

 made any way, and when many many thousand head of cattle 

 had passed under my notice, I never saw a single example on 

 either margin of the River Plate. Since 1890" until recently 

 (1914) this skull and photograph hung on the walls of my 

 Estancia office in A]6, and were frequently commented upon by 

 visitors; but though some few of these had heard of the breed, 

 their personal knowledge reached no further. The one exception, 



