District of Chilaw and Putlam. 45 



Domestic Animals. 

 Of the domestic animals, no breed is, so far as I am aware., 

 peculiar to the District. Large quantities of cattle are 

 annually brought over from the coast, and are bought up to 

 be employed for the ploughing of paddy fields, as draught or 

 as pack cattle. There appear to be several breeds, but no 

 trouble is taken in preserving or improving any. The largest 

 and handsomest are not considered so profitable as those of 

 moderate size, but on this subject the natives appear to be 

 gradually altering their opinion. Buffaloes in large numbers 

 stray over the plains and through the jungles of the District ; 

 they are sluggish animals, are possessed of more physical 

 strength than the common cattle, but are slow-paced and 

 soon sicken and die if they have not frequent opportunities 

 of immersing themselves in water. They are used in farming, 

 and are also commonly employed in carts, a practice which, I 

 believe, is not general throughout the Island. Sheep and goats 

 of several breeds are found in considerable numbers all along 

 the coast. Towards the interior the natives entertain some 

 prejudice against the rearing of them ; and indeed owing to the 

 habits of these animals, it would be troublesome keeping them 

 in a district covered with forest and abounding in leopards. 



Of the larger cattle, it may, I think, with safety be said, that 

 like guns, one half at least are purchased, not from an 

 expectation that they will yield any direct profit to the 

 owner, but simply as a means of investing money ; thus they 

 frequently form portions of the marriage gifts among the 

 natives ; and till the present high rate of interest ceases, and 

 the people understand to some extent the principles of 

 banking, and feel confidence in these establishments, the 

 system will doubtless continue. It is only on very rare 

 occasions that cattle are killed for food ; the hides are invaria- 

 bly thrown away; and in short, in a district abounding in 

 pasture land, dairies are unknown, milk and butter are rarities, 

 and scarcely any benefit is derived from the existence of cows 

 buffaloes, or sheep. Alarge proportion of the natives along the 



