Species of Bovine Animals, 6475 



replace the species" the several races of animals familiarly known to us now must 

 differ materially from those with which mankind were originally acquainted. But is 

 this the fact? Comparing the oldest extant descriptions with any existing organisms 

 (inanimate as well as animate may be included) which we can identify, is there any 

 appreciable difference between the forms now before us and what are represented to 

 us as the earlier types ? I fancy I can anticipate the reply. Again ; Mr. Wallace 

 speaks (Zool. 6305) of " the undisputed fact that varieties do frequently occur." No 

 doubt ** freaks of nature" do occasionally happen in respect to individual wild animals, 

 but how far they are perpetuated is very questionable. If Mr. Wallace's theory is 

 sound, we ought to find in some part or other of this country colonies of white rooks, 

 white blackbirds, &c. ; whereas we may challenge the reference to any example of 

 such departures from the normal configuration becoming permanent. Mr. Wallace 

 appears (Zool. 6304) to regard a casual instance of improved physical powers as the 

 regular variation from the original type of an animal ; on the contrary, I conceive the 

 rule to be that the variation usually consists in a deficiency of those powers. I by no 

 means deny that among all races of organized beings some individuals may and do 

 possess a superiority in development over their congeners in general, but I do contend 

 that in a state of nature this superiority is not demonstrably continued in successive 

 generations; indeed I will declare my opinion, that, in the wild state, after a very few 

 generations at the utmost, any accidental variation, whether apparently favourable or 

 unfavourable, will be merged in a return to that original condition in which the 

 creature was from the first adapted to the situation in which it was placed. Analo- 

 gously we may reason from the case of mankind : our own experience must inform us, 

 that monstrosities are not of very rare occurrence in the world, but it will not be 

 argued that these examples have possessed any general influence upon the average 

 standard dimensions of the human race. Reversely I believe it has been expressly 

 noted, that the progeny, if any, of either giauts or dwarfs did not prominently exhibit 

 the peculiarities of the parents. I am not aware that the King of Prussia, who 

 showed such a mania for collecting tall men for enlisting in his guards, succeeded in 

 establishing a breed of giants in his dominions, although it is, I think, recorded that 

 Frederick was by no means scrupulous as to his measures for providing his extra- 

 grenadiers with proportionally tall wives. — Arthur Hussey ; RoUinydean, February, 

 1859. 



Notice of the Various Species of Bovine Animals. By the Editor of 



the ' Indian Field.' 



(Continued from p. 6429.) 



The third or flat-horned group of taurines is distinguished as the 

 name imports, the horns having an oval section, at least towards the 

 base. As far as we know, the type is exclusively Asiatic ; and how- 

 ever the details of structure may vary, the species have certain cha- 

 racters in common. A short smooth coat, either black or of an 

 earthy brown colour verging more or less on black, at least in the bulls, 

 and white stockings from the mid-joint (inclusive) downwards ; as may 



