190 THE OX AND ITS KINDRED 
(old and young) slaughtered in Naples, or about looo 
per annum, and in Rome 6659, or about 6000 
annually. 
In regard to the relative nutritive value of buffalo- 
beef as compared with ox-beef and veal, it is stated 
that the former is distinctly superior in several 
respects. It contains, for instance, a larger quantity 
of albuminoids, more nucleine, a substance rich in 
phosphorus, and a greater amount of muscular pig- 
ment, which abounds in iron. Buffalo-beef differs 
markedly in structure from ox-beef, the muscular 
fibres being thicker, and the nuclei more abundant ; 
the latter circumstance accounting for the larger 
proportion of phosphorus. In transverse section the 
fibres, or bundles, of the muscle are polygonal, instead 
of irregularly shaped or subcircular ; the component 
fibrill^e are larger, and there is a greater amount of 
the substance known as sarcoplasm. Differences also 
occur in regard to the proportions and mode of 
arrangement of the fat, connective tissue, and elastic 
tissue, so that an expert has no hesitation in dis- 
tinguishing between the two kinds of beef. 
Melville Island, situated off the northern coast of 
Australia, near Port Darwin, is noted for its herds of 
introduced Indian buffaloes. The number of these 
animals is estimated at between 15,000 and 20,000 
head, and the number of calves born yearly at 
about 3000. 
The last of the four species forming the subject of 
the present chapter is the domesticated yak {Bos 
grunniens) of the highlands of Tibet and parts of 
Siberia, without whose aid as a beast of burden and 
for riding travel in those desolate regions would be a 
practical impossibility. The yak is an animal easy 
