1850.] 



Sircar of Pytim. 



249 



than the leading ones. The breed is peculiar to the Deccan, the 

 chief points consisting in, a rather long head, with straight nose 

 and forehead, horns gradually turning upwards, outwards, and 

 backwards ; sometimes crumpled ; ears not pendulous ; narrow 

 withers, surmounted by a hump ; straight back ; high haunches, 

 drooping suddenly to the tail ; and very fine limbs, with a dewlap 

 more or less developed. The prevailing colors are white, red, dun, 

 and motted ; and their average height from 45 to 55 inches. They 

 are never shod. These patient laboring animals are the Koonbees' 

 chief wealth, and receives from them every consideration ; at the 

 times they are hard worked, and towards the close of the hot wea- 

 ther, they are helped with oil cakes and the cheaper grains. A bul- 

 lock if not put to the yoke at too early an age, will with proper 

 care last twelve years, and even longer ; but it is seldom found the 

 case, that breeders can afford to keep their steers, till they have 

 reached their proper working strength, and from being too soon at 

 the yoke, are shorter lived, accordingly. Murrain is the disease that 

 principally attacks them, in a great measure arising from deficient 

 nourishment, in dry seasons. 



There are 7,681 bullocks employed throughout the Sircar for 

 agricultural purposes. 



Cowg Cows. — The sorry appearance of the cows, is an 



obvious indication of insufficient pasturage ; stinted in 

 sustenance, they have degenerated and become dwarfish in size, their 

 medium height being under 43 inches. They are docile, and trac- 

 table, for their usual abode is under the same roof with their master ; 

 at sunrise they are driven to graze, in company with the goats and 

 buffaloes, returning late in the afternoon. The quantity of milk 

 they yield is very small, being from half a pint to a pint twice a 

 day, which is all added to the general stock, derived from the milch 

 buffaloes, to be formed into ghee, milk itself being seldom used as 

 an article of diet, though butter-milk itself, is a national luxury, 

 The value of a cow is from 4 to 8 Rs. their number in the Sircar is 

 5\833 and their calves 3,330, 



„ „ , The buffaloes here are not of a fine description, 



Buffaloes. 1 



and are the breed peculiar to this part of the Deccan. 



They are reserved entirely for the dairy. The females go twelve 



months with young, and give their first calf when four years old ; 



living generally to twenty years, during which period they will bring 



