48 



Mammals of Burma. 



[No. 1, 



we need information respecting its distribution in other parts of Indo-China. 

 I have seen a characteristic skull from Johore, and once possessed a living 

 calf, which was sent, together with a Malayan Tapir, from Singapore. 



121. B. EKOOTALIS. 

 Bos frontalis, Lambert, Lin. Trans, vii. p. 57, pi. 4; B. gavceus, Colebrooke; P. Z. S. 

 1866, pi. 1, young bull; Hodgson, J. A. S. B. x. p. 470, skull, fig. 1. 



The Gayal or Mit'hun. 



In the domestic state only, the range of this fine species extends south- 

 ward to the hills bordering on the Koladyne river, which flows into Akyab 

 harbour from the north. In the hilly parts of Tippera and Chittagong it 

 exists in the wild state. In the fully mature bull the horns are longer and the 

 dewlap is considerably more developed than is represented in the figure cited. 



*122. B. SONDAICUS. 

 Bos sondaicus, S. Miiller; B. bentinger, Temminck. Tsoing of Burmese. 



The Banting inhabits Pegu, the Tenasserim provinces and Malayan penin- 

 sula, Sumatra, Borneo, and Java ; being domesticated in the island of Bali. 



The hybrid with the Javan humped cow constitutes the B. leuco- 

 prymnus of Quoy and Gaymard, as the hybrid Gayal constitutes the P. 

 sylhetanus of F. Cuvier. The Banting has bred in the Zoological Garden 

 of Amsterdam, where I have seen bull, cow, and calf in fine condition. 

 The bull, more especially, has an indication of a hump, which, however, 

 must be specially looked for to be noticed ; and he has a broad and 

 massive neck like the Gaur, but no raised spinal ridge, nor has either of 

 these species a deep dewlap like the Gayal. The cow is much slighter 

 in build, with small horns that incline backwards ; and she retains her 

 bright chestnut colour permanently, while the bulls become black as they 

 attain maturity, excepting always the white " stockings," and also the white 

 patch on each buttock, which is characteristic of the species. In the old 

 bull the cuticle between the bases of the horns becomes enormously thickened, 

 corneous and rugged, and this begins to show before the coat has commenced 

 to change colour, as may be seen in a stuffed specimen in the British Museum, 

 which is that of an animal procured in Pegu by the author of this paper, 

 and which lived for some time in the London Zoological Gardens. How far 

 to the eastward the range of this animal extends in the Indo-Chinese 

 countries, remains to be ascertained ; but I have reason to believe that two 

 other species of Bos there remain to be described, one of which is domesticated 

 in Siam and the other in Cochin China. 



