Species of Bovine Animals. 



6519 



Height of bull at the shoulder about 16 hands. Length of a fine 

 skull, from vertex to tips of intermaxillaries, 20J inches ; breadth apart 

 at orbits posteriorly, 9 inches ; bases of horns apart anteriorly, 12^ 

 inches. The horns of our largest specimen measure 2 feet 8 inches 

 round the curvature outside ; circumference at base 18 inches ; breadth 

 across at base, measuring above, 6j inches; greatest width apart, 

 3 feet 5 inches ; and the tips 2 feet 5^ inches asunder. 



The existence of a " wild ox " in Borneo was noticed by Beckman, 

 as cited by Pennant, who also recorded the occurrence of such an 

 animal in Java, and had likewise (as we have seen) obtained intelligence 

 of one " with white horns " in the Indo-Chinese countries. In Java, 

 according to Sir Stamford Raffles, " it is found chiefly in the forests 

 eastward of Pasuran, and in Bali, though it also occurs in other parts 

 of Java." Dr. S. Muller remarks that the banteng is found in Java in 

 territories which are seldom visited by man, as well in the forests of 

 the plains and of the coast, as in those of the mountains up to 4000 

 feet, where it is tolerably common. 4t We have likewise seen traces of 

 it," he adds, " in Borneo, and have even received a calf from the Dyaks 

 about a month old. According to Raffles it is found in B&li ; but in 

 Sumatra it does not appear to exist."* In Moor's 1 Notices of the 

 Indian Archipelago/ p. 2, we read that — " The ox, under the name of 

 tambadao,t is a native of the forests of Borneo :" and at p. 95, it is 



* Most likely, however, it will be eventually found there, if not also another wild 

 species, the aboriginal stock of the tame cattle described by Raffles. The elephant of 

 Sumatra was considered by the late Prince of Casino to be a peculiar species, and was 

 recognised as such by the late Professor Temminck. The rhinoceros of Sumatra is 

 the Asiatic two-horned species {Rhinoceros sumalrtnsis), found also in the Malayan 

 peninsula and Burmese countries, but not in Java, nor (so far as known) in Borneo; 

 the rhinoceros of .Java and Borneo (Rhinoceros sondaicus) being hitherto unknown in 

 Sumatra, though found in the Tenasserim provinces, according to Heifer: if so, it will 

 probably be more of a mountain species in the provinces and Malayan peninsula than 

 the other. Of wild hogs, according to Dr. S. Muller, the Sus vittatus inhabits 

 Sumatra, with Java and Banka; S. verrucosus also inhabits Java; S. barbatus, 

 Borneo; S. celebensis, besides the baba-rusa, Celebes; S. timoriensis, Timor and 

 Roti ; and S. papuensis, New Guinea : a goodly series of wild swine, to which we have 

 lately added the little S. andamanensis, which needs comparison most with S. papuensis, 

 and with Mr. Hodgson's pigmy hog of the Nipal-sal Forest, which he styles Porcula 

 salvania ; these last three have only a tubercle in place of tail. The Continental 

 species of wild hog have been less studied. We can hardly expect, from analogy 

 with the neighbouring regions, that the mountain forests of Sumatra will prove 

 destitute of wild bovine inhabitants. 



f Compare this name with Tamarao in the Island of Mindoro, one of the Philip- 

 pines. 



