656 CATTLE^ AND DAIRY PAKMING. 



in a herd of Mysore cattle, in 1S75, could not be enticed into inter- 

 course with Singhalese cows, though intermixture does commonly occur 

 between other varieties and the Singhalese breed. 



SINGHALESE CATTLE. 



The ordinary cattle of Ceylon are probably descended from breeds 

 inhabiting the Telugu country of India, as they resemble very closely, 

 in conformation and color, the ca,ttle now common there; whereas 

 .there are great differences in these respects between them and the breeds 

 of that portion of India lying nearly opposite this island, whence it 

 might naturally be expected that such animals would have been intro- 

 duced. It must be remembered, however, that the Indian conquerors 

 of Ceylon and founders of the Singhalese race of people, came from the 

 Telugu district, about 550 B. C, and subsequently kept up an active 

 and constant communication with their fatherland, obtaining from there 

 even their wives, priests, raiment, and very likely their domestic ani- 

 mals. 



I therefore believe that the popularly termed Singhalese cattle are 

 mainly the offspring of Telugu stock ; and though somewhat degen- 

 erate in size, and now almost inconsequential for dairy purposes, are 

 nevertheless better suited to this climate and for the ordinary needs 

 of this insular people than any other variety at jDresent known. 



The largest of them do not exceed 4 feet in height, measured to the 

 top of the hump, over the withers, nor weigh above 350 pounds alive. 

 The females are about 6 inches lower, owing not only to ordinary re- 

 duced stature, but to an unproportionally small hump development, as 

 compared to the males. 



The maximum amount of milk yielded by a cow under favorable con- 

 ditions is about 2 quarts per diem, exclusive of enough to support life 

 in the calf. In the absence, by death or otherwise, of her offspring, the 

 mother ceases to give milk altogether, so that in some cases where a 

 calf has died its skin has been stuffed and presented to the mother at 

 milking time, and thus, for a short period at least, through this decep- 

 tion, the animal would be induced to give down her secretions. 



Under liberal treatment a very good cow, especially if she be a fond . 

 mother, will yield milk for nine months, but as a rule six months is 

 about the militing term. If she depend upon grass laltogether for 

 sustenance her mess of milk will be reduced one-half, and the maximum 

 amount is only obtained by feeding with some cotton seed and poonac 

 (cocoanut-oil cake). 



For draft purposes, the males are, for their size, wonderfully good, 

 aud capable of drawing comparatively enormous loads. Hitched in 

 pairs to huge two-wheeled carts, they may be seen any day, in our sea- 

 port towns, struggling along with a load of twenty-one bags of rice, 

 equivalent to 3,300 pounds weight: and yet they are mere pigmies, 

 poorly fed and miserably housed, or more frequently not sheltered at 

 all, but left tied in some open court and made to lie upon the bare 

 ground or brick pavements. 



Many of them, generally of smaller size, are kept bv the natives to 

 draw singly the family " bandy," a light two-wheeled vehicle, often 

 seemingly hardly big enough for one person, and yet, by some remark- 

 able method of close stowage, mutual, forbearance, and mysterious 

 adhesiveness of the occupants, made to contain four or five people 

 large aud small ; with which load the sturdy little bull trots away, at 

 the rate of 6 or 7 miles an hour, and if the driver entertains a con- 



