RUMINATION. 509 



observation that a stranger will generally find himself in a very unsafe position if he attempts 

 to approach closely to the herd. 



When they are alarmed or provoked at the intrusion of a strange human being within the 

 limit of their territories, they toss their heads wildly in the air, paw the ground, and stead- 

 fastly regard the object of their dislike. If he should make a sudden movement, they scamper 

 away precipitately, gallop round him in a circle, and come to another halt at a shorter 

 distance. This process is continually repeated, the diameter of the circle being shortened at 

 every fresh start, until the angry, yet half -frightened, animals, come so alarmingly close to the 

 spectator, that he finds himself obliged to escape as he best can. 



In performing these curious evolutions, they seem to be inspired by a mixture of curiosity, 

 timidity, and irritation, which may be observed even in ordinary domestic cattle under similar 

 circumstances. 



On one occasion, when a herd of cattle were pressing upon me in a most uncomfortable 

 manner, I owed my escape to early instruction in the art of the " acrobat." The herd, wholly 

 composed of cows, was surrounding me with a very threatening aspect, and was advancing in 

 such a manner that there was no mode of escape from their ranks. Seeing that a bold strata- 

 gem was the only resource, I ran sharply forward, and commenced rotating towards them in 

 that peculiar method which is technically termed " turning a wheel," i. e. executing a series 

 of somersaults on the hands and feet alternately. The cows were so terrified at the unknown 

 foe who was attacking them in so extraordinary a manner, that they were panic-stricken, and 

 galloped off at full speed, leaving me an easy escape before they had recovered from their 

 surprise. 



The Domestic Cow is too well known to need any detailed description of form and color. 

 Few persons, however, except those who have been personally conversant with these animals, 

 have any idea of their intelligent and affectionate natures. 



They are possessed of very susceptible feelings, and are remarkably sensitive to insulting 

 or disrespectful conduct on the part of their inferiors. In a herd of cows, the senior animal is 

 the leader in all things, and maintains a strict authority over her younger companions. Not 

 a single member of the herd dares to leave or to enter the pasture until the leader has led 

 the way, or even to take its food until she has decided whether she will take possession of 

 the banquet, or permit her inferiors to eat at peace. Should a younger animal commit a 

 breach of etiquette by infringing any of the tacit rules which have been in force throughout 

 Cowdom from time immemorial, the delinquent is butted at and punished until it returns to 

 its allegiance. 



To watch a calf through its various phases of existence is a most amusing employment. 

 When the young animal is introduced for the first time into the farm-yard, she is treated in 

 the most supercilious manner by the previous occupants, who look with an air of supreme 

 contempt upon the new comer. She is pushed aside by all her predecessors, and soon learns 

 to follow humbly in the wake of her companions. She cannot even venture to take possession 

 of a food-rack until all the others have begun their meal. So matters go on for a time, until 

 she has attained a larger growth, and a younger calf is turned into the yard. She now in her turn 

 plays the tyrant over the new comer, and receives no small accession of dignity from the fact 

 of having a follower, instead of bringing up the rear in her own person. In process of time 

 she makes her way to the head of the yard by virtue of seniority, and is then happy in the 

 supreme rule which she enjoys. 



Sometimes a three-parts grown heifer is introduced into a farm-yard, and in that case, the 

 new comer refuses to take her place below all the others, unless she is absolutely compelled to 

 *do so by main force. There is generally a considerable amount of fighting before such an 

 animal finds her level, but when she has discovered her superiors and her subordinates, she 

 quietly settles down in her place, and does not attempt to rise otherwise than by legitimate 

 seniority. 



As the Oxen, in common with the sheep, camels, giraffe, and deer, require a large amount 

 of vegetable food, and are, while in their native regions, subject to innumerable disturbing 

 causes that would effectually prevent them from satisfying their hunger in an ordinary 



