200 
THE WHITE URUS, OR 
twice or thrice a-day, for the purpose of supplying 
them with the necessary nourishment. On these oc- 
casions it is not a little dangerous to approach the 
place of retreat, the parent cow being seldom at any 
great distance, and always attacking any person or 
animal approaching it with the utmost resolution and 
fury. The young calves, when unexpectedly ap- 
proached, betray great trepidation, by throwing their 
ears back close upon their necks, and lying squat 
down upon the ground. W hen hard pressed, they 
have been known to run at their keepers in a butting 
menacing attitude, in order to force their retreat. 
The young are produced at all seasons of the year, 
but chiefly in spring. The mode of catching the 
calves is to steal upon them whilst slumbering or 
sleeping in their retreat when they are a day or two 
old, and put a cloth over their mouths, to pre- 
vent them crying, and then carry them off to a place 
of safety without the reach of the herd, otherwise 
the cry of the calf would attract the dam, and she, 
by loud bellowing, would bring the whole flock to 
the spot, to attack the keeper in the most furious 
manner. These cattle are seldom seen scattering 
themselves indiscriminately over the pasture, like 
other breeds of cattle, but are generally observed to 
feed in a flock. They are very chary of being ap- 
proached by strangers, and seem to have the power 
of smelling them at a great distance. W'hen any 
one approaches them unexpectedly, they generally 
scamper off to a little distance to the leeward, and 
