288 On the Flat-horned Taurine Cattle of 8. E. Asia. [No. 3' 



are all of the humped kind, a humpless wild race, not yet scientifically 

 described, was long ago indicated by Flacourt, and since by the 

 missionary Ellis ; stated to resemble European cattle except in having 

 longer limbs.* But to return to the humped cattle. These are now 

 the ordinary Taurines of tropical and subtropical Asia, and according 

 to Ksempfer extend on to Japan. Though unknown in an abori- 

 ginally wild state, the species has relapsed into wildness in various 

 parts of India, as especially in Oudh and Eohilkund, in Sháhabád, in 

 Mysore, and even in Ceylon ; a fact the more interesting, as proving 

 (what had been doubted) that these humped cattle can maintain 

 themselves, unaided by man, in regions inhabited by the Tiger. 

 The origin and history of the wild herds of the Sháhabád jungles, 

 which still exist, are given by Dr. F. Buchanan Hamilton,f who 

 remarks that — " In the woods of Jagadispur and Damraong are some 

 wild cattle of the common breed : they resemble entirely in form and 

 in variety of coloursj those bred about the villages of this district, 



cows : the fundamental structure is there invariably, and capable of developraent. 

 The huge-horned Bornouese and Galla races of cattle are of the humped species, 

 — unlike the fine Tanganyika race " with stupendous horns." Indeed, cattle 

 exceedingly like the African G-alla race of Bruce and Salt are by no means very 

 rare in India. 



It is remarkable that the singular strepsicerine or Cretan breed of Sheep exists 

 in the country drained by the White Nile ; modified, however, in its fleece by 

 the locality. Thus, Werne tells us (II, 18), that — " I purchased for a couple of 

 miserable beads a little Sheep, covered partly with wool and partly with hair, as 

 the Sheep here generally are, with a long mane under the throat, and horns twisted 

 back. Selim Capitán says that a similar species [race] is found in Crete." 

 Elsewhere (p. 97), he remarks " Rams with horns twisted back and manes," — 

 the latter, ot" course, under the throat, as mentioned in the preceding notice. 



* " Horned cattle are numerous, both tame and wild ; many of the latter 

 resemble, in shape and sigie, the cattle of Burope." (Ellis's History of Mada- 

 gascar.) These wild cattle abound in the province of Mena-bé, which occupies 

 much of the western portion of the island. In Mr. J. A. Lloyd's Memoir on 

 Madagascar, published in the 20th Yol. of the Royal Geographioal Society's 

 Journal^ we read (p. 63) that " the northern part of Mena-bé contains great 

 numbers of wild cattle ; Radáma and his offícers, in one of their warlike expe- 

 ditions amongst the Sakalami, passing through this country, killed upwards of 

 340 [wild ?] oxen in one day for the use of his army, and two days afterwards 

 431 more were killed by the soldiers." 



t Montgomery Martin's compilation from the Buchanan Hamilton MSS. } Vol. 

 I, 504. 



X Major W. S. Sherwill, who has often shot over the now famous " Jugdes- 

 pur jungle," by permission of the late Kumár (or Kooer) Singha, who allowed 

 him to shoot what he pleased so long as he spared the wild cattle, informs rae 

 that, while, of course, respecting the Rája's injunction, he was curious about 

 these cattle, and had opportunities of watching them somewhat closely. All he 

 saw were rather of small size and of an earthy-brown colour, with shortish horns, 



