in captivity in lower bengal. 141 



Treatment in health. 



Housing. — The banteng is such a tractable animal that it may, if 

 necessary, be treated like a domestic cow, both with regard to housing 

 and feeding ; but the gyal, though it also becomes equally tame after a 

 few days in captivity, will not thrive in the climate of Lower Bengal 

 unless much freedom and pasturage are allowed. A gyal calf obtained 

 in 1876 showed, during its adolescent stage, signs of wasting away 

 despite good feeding and treatment ; but on being allowed the freedom 

 of grazing for itself, for the greater part of the day, in an adjoining 

 pasturage, where there was a fine avenue of trees, the animal quickly 

 recovered and developed into a fine bull. Though heavy and powerful 

 animals, neither the gyal nor the banteng are mischievous, and can 

 easily be accommodated in ordinary deer paddocks ; but shade and 

 coolness are indispensable for them, especially during the hot weather ; 

 stalls should be provided to protect them from the vicissitudes of climate, 

 Only young and adolescent gaurs have been exhibited in this garden, 

 and the following observations recorded in respect to the rearing of a 

 young animal may be useful : — " As all previous attempts at rearing 

 gaurs in confinement had signally failed, this calf was allowed to roam 

 through the gardens even to the detriment of the plants, and being 

 a shade-loving animal, frequenting the densest forests, the instincts of 

 the little creature led it to seek seclusion and shade in the centre of the 

 most choice groups of shrubs. This freedom conferred upon it, how- 

 ever, no doubt kept it alive, and even now, when about two years old 

 and a large animal with formidable horns, it is still so tractable that 

 it is permitted to wander about the gardens for a few hours daily." 

 In allowing this freedom the temper of the animals should be taken 

 into consideration, and an attendant should watch their movements, 

 which should be restricted within certain limits. 



Food. — Newly-imported gyals eat nothing but grass and bamboo 

 leaves, but as they gradually become reconciled to their altered state 

 of life, they begin to relish other food also, such as gram, bran, hay, 

 &c. ; bamboo leaves are always acceptable to them, and no efforts should 

 be spared to supply these as frequently as possible; salt is very 

 necessary for them, and should be given daily either mixed with grain 

 or in small lumps for licking ; a small quantity should be mixed with 

 the food to make it more palatable. A few onions should be given 

 with gram or bran. A large troughful of clean water should always 

 be kept in a shady place, and the scouring of the vessel daily and 

 scrupulously attended to, as otherwise the slime that adheres to it 

 finds its way into the animal and causes disease. 



Breeding. — Gyals have yielded fine hybrids between themselves 

 and the domestic cattle ; the points in which the progeny differed from 

 both the parents have been already indicated ; these hybrids were 

 mostly cows, and they bred with the English and country bulls. 

 Bantengs have also bred in the garden. 



Transport. — Gyals and bantengs intended for transport overland 

 should be gradually weaned from green food and fed on hay and 

 compressed fodder, supplemented by graiu. As they are generally 

 harmless and tractable animals, no box is necessary, but a hurdle 

 enclosure may be provided. The best time to ship them to Europe is 



