TO CASHMEER AND LITTLE TIBET. 5til 



Length of tail (exclusive of hair), 4iin. Length of horns along the curve, 42 in. 

 Length of chord, 24iin. Versed siae (from chord to upper curvature). Hi in. 

 Divergence at the tips, 29 in. Greatest divergence, 30 in. Interval between the 

 horns at their base, 1 in. Circumference at the base, 10 in. Antero-posterior dia- 

 meter at the base, 3| in. Transverse diameter at the base, 2i in. Length of 

 hoof, 4 in. 



The animal is singularly party-coloured. Horns start from the 

 head, on the same plane with the brow, and then gradually curve itp- 

 wards, backwards, and outwards, with an increase of curvatui-e and 

 sudden inflexion near the tijos, and with eighteen transverse distant 

 ridges (incomplete rings) along the upper curve. 



Muzzle hairy, tan-brown passing upwards into light hazel-brown on 

 the forehead and behind the ears. Chin, cheeks, under surface and 

 sides of the neck, shoulder, and hips, liver-brown, with the hair tipped 

 greyish, gradually passing down the fore and hind legs into deep reddish 

 brown. A large roundish patch of dirty greyish white on the upper 

 side of the neck, extending from behind the occipital to the top of 

 the shoulders. Shoulder patches meeting at the croup and sending off 

 a narrow ridge of long, tufted, reddish-brown hair, along the spine of 

 the back to the tail. Back, sides, and flanks, entirely of a dirty greyish 

 white, passing downwards into hazel brown. Under side of the chest 

 and belly, dark slate- grey, mottled and mixed with tan- brown. Tail 

 short and black, 4|- inches long ; ears erect, hazel-brown outside, tan 

 inside. Mamma; four. No trace of sub-orbitary sinus. Beard full, dark 

 liver-brown, tipped with reddish-brown. Hair very thick, erect, stiff, 

 and rather short, with a very thick coat of shawl-fleece at the roots. 



IV. — Note on the Mule Breeds between the Yak and the Cow, 



IN Tibet. 



For agricultural purposes the Tibetians find a cross between the 

 Yak {Bos grunniens) and the common Cow of the mountains to be more 

 serviceable than either of the pure stocks — for the labour of the plough 

 especially. The crosses are chiefly made with the male Yak as the sire, 

 and the common Cow for the dam. The mule produced in this instance 

 is called : the male, ' Bsoh,' the female, ' Bsohn.'' The ' Bsohn ' is 

 then again crossed with the male Yak, and the produce called : the male, 

 ' Gur,^ and the female, ' Gurmoh.'' The Gurmoh is again crossed with 

 the Yak and has a produce which returns to the Yak ; ' the male of this 

 breed is fertile and capable of propagation, the males of all the inter- 

 mediate breeds being sterile. 



The Tibetians do not practice raising a cross between the Cow Yak 

 and the common Bull. The reason given is that the experience of the 

 coitntry, as derived traditionally from their fathers, is against it, and 

 that where the cross has accidentally taken place the produce is in- 

 ferior. 



The Yak, as compared with common Oxen, is an unstable, uncertain- 

 tempered animal, impatient of long fatigue, and does not take kindly 

 to the plough. 



The ' Bsoh ' ^ is a larger animal than the Yak, and more robust. 



1 In stating the cross to return to the I ^ The mules wliich were seen of the 

 Yak, it is merely meant to convey the im- Bsohn were larger than the generality 

 pression of the people, probably derived of the common cattle observed in the 

 fromthefactof fertility in the third cross. | country. 



