Species of Bovine Animals. 



6119 



but what flexure remains is nevertheless sufficiently typical.* Again, 

 the Indian fossil Bos namadicus, from the Nerbudda deposits, is sur- 

 prisingly like the European B. urus or B. primogenius ;f and we have 

 much reason to suspect that an existent species of the same group, 

 with cylindrical horns, inhabits certain of the forests of Indo-China, 

 in addition to the different flat-homed taurines to be noticed in due 

 course. 



The un-named species referred to is probably that mentioned by 

 Crawfurd in the following passage : — " The ox is found wild in the 

 Siamese forests, and exists very generally in the domestic state, parti- 

 cularly in the southern provinces. Those we saw about the capital 

 were short-limbed, compactly made, and often without horns, being 

 never of the white or gray colour so prevalent among the cattle of 

 Hindustan. They also want the hump on the shoulders which cha- 

 racterizes the latter. They are used only in agricultural labour, for 

 their milk is too trifling in quantity to be useful, and the slaughter of 

 them, publicly at least, is forbidden even to strangers. Hence, during 

 our stay, our servants were obliged to go three or four miles out of 

 town, and to slaughter the animals at night. The wild cattle, for the 

 protection of religion does not extend to them, are shot by professed 

 hunters, on account of their hides, horns, bones and flesh, which last, 

 after being converted into jerked beef, forms an article of commerce 

 with China." — ' Mission to Siam and Cochin China,' p. 430. It is 

 probable that different species of wild cattle are here referred to, in- 

 cluding one or more of those with flattened horns. The Rev. J. Mason, 



* The beautiful small Zulu cattle of Xatal are humped. The fine Caffre cattle, 

 with very long horns directed almost at a right angle with the axis of the body, and 

 more or less tensely spiral, are large and noble game-looking beasts, with unusually 

 long limbs : from them were the famous " war-oxen of the Caffres selected and 

 trained. 



f The unfortunate supposition entertained by Linnaeus as well as Buffon, that the 

 European bison was the original wild stock of all domestic cattle, and the non- 

 recognition of the ancient urus as distinct from the bison, have led to sad confusion 

 in the systematic nomenclature, which can only be satisfactorily remedied by a 

 violation of the generally accepted canons based on the rigorous acceptation of the 

 first-applied systematic names, in this wise : — 



Bos americanus, vel Bison americanus: the American bison. 



Bos Bison, vel Bison europasus : the European bison. B. priscus, we apprehend, 

 had better be retained, at least for the present; if even in the form of Bison J 

 europaeus (priscus). 



Bos urus : the comparatively modern ure ox. 



Bos primogenius: the more ancient type, which we suspect to be quite distinct; 

 albeit the name may have been first bestowed on the other. 



