Species of Bovine Animals, 6483 



* 



and, " when drawn ashore and examined more minutely, the first senti- 

 ment produced in all present was astonishment at his immense bulk 

 and size ; but on measuring his height, we found him much taller than 

 his breadth at first led us to imagine. 



" The head is very square, and shorter than in the common ox ; the 

 forehead ample, the bony ridge rising about five inches in height from 

 the plane of the frontal bone, over which it inclines. When viewed 

 behind, it rises suddenly and abruptly from the nape of the neck, from 

 whence to the vertex it measures 7 inches ; the horns make a wide 

 sweep in continuation of the arched bony ridge, and turn slightly back- 

 wards and upwards, forming an angle of about 35 inches with the 

 frontal bone ; the whole of the head in front, behind the eyes, is 

 covered with a coat of close short hair, of a light grayish brown colour, 

 which below the eyes is darker, approaching almost to black. The 

 muzzle is large and full, of a grayish colour ; the eyes are smaller than 

 in the ox, with a fuller pupil of a pale blue colour ; the ears are smaller 

 in proportion than in the ox ;* the tongue is very rough, and covered 

 with prickles ;f the neck is short, thick and heavy ; the chest broad ; 

 the shoulder very deep and muscular; the fore legs short, the joints 

 very short and strong ; the arm exceedingly large and muscular. 

 Behind the neck and immediately above the shoulder rises a fleshy 

 gibbosity or h unapt of the same height as the dorsal ridge, which is 

 thinner and firmer, rising gradually as it goes backwards,§ and termi- 

 nates suddenly about the middle of the back. The hind quarters are 

 lighter and lower than ihe fore, falling suddenly from the termination 

 of the ridge ; the tail very short, its tuft only reaching down to the 

 hocks. 



* Tn our calf they are decidedly and conspicuously large ; and in form are inter- 

 mediate to the more lanceolate ears of the humped cattle, and the rounder ears of the 

 European type; we observe, moreover, that his lips are white, and that he has a 

 distinct dark spinal list continued alike over the ridge and behind it. Be it observed 

 that this is a Malayan individual. 



f In our young animal the tongue is moderately rough to the feel, and is of a pale 

 bluish colour on its upper surface, carneous below: he readily licks the hand that is 

 held out to him, which affords tolerable opportunity for observation. 



% Mr. Hodgson, who annotated a reprint of Mr. Elliot's paper in the 'Asiatic 

 Society's Journal,' vol. x. p. 579, puts a note of interrogation respecting this hump; 

 but its presence in the specimen is distinctly and repeatedly noticed by Mr. Elliot. 



§ " Qucere forwards. The height of the true dorsal ridge declines from the third 

 process of the vertebrae, and the general appearance of the ridge therefore is a declina- 

 tion, not a rise, towards the croup from the withers." — Hodgson. This is well shown 

 in the skeleton. 



