sheep and cattle, as that of the Laplander 

 is estimated by the number of his rein- 

 deer. 



The greatest of European landowners 

 and cattle breeders, including those of 

 Holland and Switzerland, can hardly re- 

 alize the vast numbers contained in the 

 herds of those nomads. Near the village 

 of Melbess the plain shows a deep de- 

 pression, at the bottom of which a num- 

 ber of wells have been dug, one beside 

 the other, for the sole purpose of water- 

 ing the herds congregating there during 

 the noon hours. Beginning in the after- 

 noon and during the whole night, far on 

 toward noon next day, nearly a hundred 

 people are busy hauling water from the 

 wells and pouring it into pools, to which 

 a little salty earth is added. From all 

 sides innumerable herds of sheep, goats 

 and cattle draw near, first the sheep and 

 goats, then the cows. In a few minutes 

 the valley is filled with them. One sees 

 nothing but an unbroken herd of animals 

 passing back and forth, a dark human 

 form looming up between them at inter- 

 vals. Thousands of sheep and goats keep 

 arriving, while as m.any are departing sat- 

 isfied. I believe it impossible to count 

 the number of cattle, yet I do not exag- 

 gerate if I put down the number of the 

 animals daily congregating at the spot as 

 sixty thousand. 



In the south of Africa the oxen are of 

 great importance, as without them the 

 extended trip necessary for purposes of 

 trading and hunting through the vast 

 wastes in parts entirely devoid of water 

 and grass would be impossible. 



In Southern Russia, Tartary and prob- 

 ably also a great portion of Central Asia 

 considerable herds of cattle are kept." In 

 fact, at the present time there seems to 

 be no country in the world where domes- 

 tic cattle are not found. They are com- 

 mon from Norway and Lapland in the 

 north to Southern Africa and South 

 America in the south. Colum1)us first 

 brought them to the New World, and 

 the Spaniards transported them to South 

 America, where they multiplied with 

 great rapidity. 



In a general way domestic cattle may 

 1)e divided into two classes — the straight 

 backed cattle of Europe and the New 

 World and the humped cattle of India. 

 Humped cattle may also be found in 



China, Africa and Madagascar. They 

 not only vary from other cattle by hav- 

 ing the hump on the withers, but they 

 have a different coloration, voice and hab- 

 its. They have a convex forehead, long, 

 drooping ears and a dew-lap, which 

 hangs in folds the entire length of the 

 neck. They vary much in size, as the 

 largest "may stand as high as a buffalo, 

 while the smallest may be little larger 

 than a calf a month old." They are gen- 

 tle in disposition and the larger ones are 

 used for drawing native carriages. Un- 

 like the European cattle, they seldom 

 seek the shade, and never stand knee- 

 deep in water. These cattle are often 

 called zebus, and in the northern prov- 

 inces of India, where they are used for 

 riding, they will carry "a man at the rate 

 of six miles an hour for fifteen hours." 



"White bulls are held peculiarly sacred 

 by the Hindus, and when they have been 

 dedicated to Siva by the branding of his 

 image upon them, they are thenceforth 

 relieved from all labor. They go without 

 molestation wherever they choose, and 

 may be seen about eastern bazars helping 

 themselves to whatever dainties they pre- 

 fer from the stalls of the faithful." 



In Central Africa the humped cattle 

 are represented by the Galla, or Sanga. 

 This is regarded by some as the finest 

 breed of the humped variety. It is large, 

 slender and vigorous, long legged and 

 rather long tailed. The general color is 

 a chestnut-brown. The horns are very 

 strong and are fully forty inches in 

 length. 



The straight backed cattle are those of 

 Europe, America, Australia and the 

 smaller islands, and of some parts of 

 Africa. They may be long-horned, short- 

 horned or hornless. Among them are 

 very many breeds, many well known be- 

 ing common almost everywhere. 



One is the ox of Freiburg, or the Swiss 

 ox. This variety yields both excellent 

 beef and extremely rich milk. 



The Du.tch ox is marked by stately 

 l)roportions, uniform coloring, a long, 

 tapering head and a long and thin neck. 

 Tlie c(^lor is pied, a wliite or grayish 

 ground showing red. l)ro\vn or i")lack 

 s])()ls of varying size and sha]-)c. "It has 

 been l)red in Holland fo centuries. It is 



