BOS. 
though not so big as the male, exceeds the 
largest of our bulls in size : nevertheless her 
udder is extremely small. Upon the whole, 
however, this animal, which greatly resem- 
bles those of the tame kind, probably owes 
its variety to its natural wildness, and the 
richness of the pastures where it is pro- 
duced. Fig. 1. 
The Zebu is another variety of the Bos 
Taurus. They are all equally docile and 
sen! le when tamed, and are in general co- 
vered with line glossy hail-, softer and more 
beautiful than that of the common cow. 
Their humps are of different sizes, in some 
weighing from forty to fifty pounds, but in 
others less. That part is in general consi- 
dered as a great delicacy ; and when dressed 
has much the appearance and taste qf ud- 
der. Fig. 3. 
The Bisons of Madagascar and Malabar 
are of the great kind ; those of Arabia, 
Petrea, and most parts of Africa, are of 
the Zebu or small kind. In America, espe- 
cially towards the North, the bison is well 
known. They herd together in droves of 
from one to two hundred, on the banks of 
the Missisippi, where the inhabitants hunt 
them, their flesh being esteemed good 
eating. They all breed with the tame 
cow. The hump, which is only an acci- 
dental characteristic, gradually declines, 
and in a few generations no vestiges of it 
remain. Thus, we see, whether it be the 
wild or the tame ox, the bonasus or the urus, 
the bison or the zebu, by whatever name 
they are distinguished, and though variously 
classed by naturalists, in reality they are 
the same ; and however diversified in 
their appearance and properties, are de- 
scendants' of one common stock, of which 
the most unequivocal proof is, that they 
all mix and breed with each other. The oxen 
of India are of different sizes, and are 
made use of in travelling, as substitutes for 
horses. Their common pace is soft. In- 
stead of a bit, a small cord is passed through 
the cartilage of the nostrils, which is tied 
to a larger cord, and serves as a bridle. 
They are saddled like horses ; and, when 
pushed, move very briskly : they are like- 
wise used in drawing chariots and carts. 
For the former purpose white oxen are in 
great esteem, and much admired. They 
will perform journies of sixty days, at the 
rate of from twelve to fifteen leagues a 
day, and their travelling pace is generally 
a trot. In Persia there are many oxen en- 
tirely white, with small blunt horns, and 
humps on their backs. They are very 
strong, and carry heavy burthens. When 
about to be loaded, they drop down on 
their knees like the camel, and rise when 
their burthens are properly fastened. 
Bos babylus, or buffalo, ox with horns 
lying backwards, turning inwards, and flat 
on the fore part. In its general appearance, 
the buffalo is so nearly allied to the common 
ox, that, without an attentive examination, 
it might pass for a variety of the same ani- 
mal. It differs, however, in the form of its 
horns, and in some particulars relative to 
its internal structure. The buffalo is rather 
superior in size to the common ox; the head 
larger in proportion ; the forehead higher ; 
the muzzle of a longer form, but at the same 
time broad and square : but it is principally 
the form of the horns that distinguishes the 
buffalo. They are large, and of a com- 
pressed or depressed form, with the exte- 
rior edge sharp. The buffalo has an ap- 
pearance of great strength, and a more fero- 
cious or malignant aspect than the bull ; ow- 
ing to the convexity of his forehead, the 
smallness of his eyes, the flatness of his muz- 
zle, and the flatter aud mote inclined posi- 
tion of his horns. The general or prevail- 
ing colour of the buffalo is blackish, excep t 
the hair on the top of the forehead, and that 
at the tip of the tail, which is of a yellowish 
white ; the skin itself is also of a black co- 
lour; and from this general cast it is but 
very seldom observed to vary. As the buf- 
falo in his domesticated state is, in general, 
larger and stronger than the ox, he is em- 
ployed with advantage in different kinds of 
labour. Buffaloes are made to draw heavy 
loads, and are commonly directed and re- 
strained by means of a ring passed through 
the nose. Two buffaloes yoked, or rather 
chained, to a cart, are able to draw as much 
as four strong horses. As they carry their 
neck and head low, the whole weight of 
their body is employed in drawing; and 
their mass much surpasses that of a labour- 
ing horse. In its habits the buffalo is much 
less cleanly than the ox ; delighting to wal- 
low in the mud ; and, next to the hog, may 
be considered as the dirtiest of domesti- 
cated quadrupeds. His voice is deeper, 
more uncouth, and hideous, than that of the 
bull. The milk of the female buffalo is 
said, by some authors, to be not so good as 
that of the cow ; but it is more plentiful, 
and is used for the purposes of the dairy in 
the warmer regions. 
Italy is the country where buffaloes are 
at present most common, in a domesticated 
state ; being used, as in India, both for the 
