I860.] 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST 
53 
The Bovine Family—The Yak. 
Animals of the Bovine family are found native 
in almost all parts of the world, South America 
and Australia being, we believe, the only coun¬ 
tries of any extent having no indigenous oxen. 
The genus Bos includes all the animals properly 
called bovine. They are all distinguished from 
other ruminants 
by smooth, hollow 
horns, directed more 
or less sideways, 
and curved upwards 
or forward, in a 
semilunar form; 
bodies, thick and 
heavy; tails, long 
and terminated by a 
tuft; udder, between 
the hind legs, and 
having four teats. 
The males are call¬ 
ed bulls, the females, 
cows, and the young, 
calves, whatever the 
species. A consider¬ 
able degree of con¬ 
fusion has existed 
among naturalists in 
regard to these ani¬ 
mals, and they have 
been forced to base 
specific distinctions 
upon characteristics 
which in the different varieties of domesticated 
species vary greatly. The species now included 
by naturalists in the genus are the following: 
1st. The Ur us, or Aurochs, or Bison, Bos 
urus —nearly extinct, closely related to the 
American Buffalo. One fine herd is preserved 
with great care by the Emperor of Russia, in the 
forest of Lithuania in the province of Grodnau. 
2nd. The American Buffalo, Bos Americanus. 
Distinguished by a flat, fleshy hump upon the 
neck and shoulders, 
caused by a prolon¬ 
gation of the spines 
of the backbone, and 
a long, shaggy coat. 
3rd. The Gy all or 
Jungle ox, Bos fron¬ 
talis, —a domesticat¬ 
ed race closely re¬ 
sembling the com¬ 
mon ox, existing in 
the mountainous dis¬ 
tricts in the north¬ 
eastern part of India. 
4th. The com¬ 
mon ox, Bos taurus. 
5th. The Buffalo, 
Bos bubalus. Dis¬ 
tinguished by horns 
turning backward, a 
rounding forehead, 
no hump, little or 
no dewlap, and a 
slender, tufted tail. 
Found both wild 
and domesticated in 
Southern Asia, and domesticated in Asia, 
Southern Europe, and Northern Africa. 
6 th. The African Buffalo, or Gaffer ox, Bos 
Kaffer. Distinguished by horns very broad at 
base, transversely wrinkled, and of great size; 
the animal is the largest of the ox family, ears 
large and half pendulous, hair prevailingly 
short, but shaggy about the fore quarters. 
7th. The Yak, or Grunting ox. of Thibet and 
Tartary, Bos gruniens. This is an exceedingly 
interesting animal, and it is to be regretted that 
so little is known from which an accurate idea 
of its economical value can be determined. 
There are both wild and tame varieties in the 
mountains of Thibet. We present a picture 
engraved from the photograph of a bull in the 
botanical and zoological garden of Paris ( Jardin 
des Plants). This shows the general character¬ 
istics of the species better than we can describe 
them. The body is deep, the shoulders high, 
and the hight increased by a hump, which gives 
an undue appearance of lowness to the rump, 
the head broad, covered with thick hair, the 
horns being much like those of the common ox. 
The legs are short, but the long hair makes 
them look shorter than they really are. The 
neck, dewlap, and sides, are covered with long 
hair of a silky lustre, while a coat of fine hair 
covers the entire body. The hair of the mane, 
back, and tail, is peculiar, being finer and more 
silky. In the Royal Yak the color of the head, 
body, and legs, is black, while the hair of the 
mane, back, and tail, is of a brilliant white. The 
Yak has a tail much resembling that of a horse, 
and these tails are in great request among the 
wealLhy residents of India and China as fly 
brushes, and, taking color easily, they are dyed 
of all gaudy hues. They are, besides, used by 
the Governors of provinces under the Turkish 
Government as badges of rank, two or three 
being borne upon a spear before the officer, who 
is known as a “ Pasha of two tails,” or of “ three 
tails,” as the case may be. Tails of white 
horses are also used, but those of the Yak are 
preferred,being more 
costly and beautiful. 
(See'‘‘Basket” item.) 
There are several 
varieties of this ani¬ 
mal in Central Asia, 
and these varieties 
are so great as only 
to be accounted for 
by travelers on the 
supposition that they 
have been crossed 
with domestic cattle 
or with the zebra of 
India. Our knowl¬ 
edge of the facility 
with which crosses 
with the buffalo are 
made renders it 
probable that this 
species, which, in 
some respects, seems 
still more closely al¬ 
lied to the domestic 
ox than the buffalo, 
may be capable of 
being similarly crossed. Some Yaks fully equal 
in size large oxen; others are not much larger 
than sheep. In some the hump is covered with 
a full mane, or rather great masses of soft, long¬ 
hair ; in others there is comparatively little. Ah 
have the flowing tail and more or less of the 
long silky hair, which is put to various uses, 
being spun into ropes, or spun and woven; the 
fine hair of some varieties being also used for 
textile fabrics of great beauty. The introduction 
of the Cashmere or 
Angora goat, about 
which there is now 
so much stir in the 
country, indicates an 
interest in animals 
of long silky fleeces 
which leads us to 
commend the Yak to 
our enterprising im¬ 
porters.—As a beef, 
dairy, and laboring 
animal, all we know 
of the Yak is, that 
its flesh and milk, 
(butter, etc.,) are said 
to be good, as used 
by the Asiatic moun¬ 
tain eers; and though 
seldom worked in 
the yoke it is much 
used as a pack and 
saddle beast, being 
sure of foot and quite 
a rapid traveler. 
There have been a 
few introduced into this country, aud one, we 
believe, is still living, and in a menagerie. 
The Cattle of the Channel Islands. 
Wherever domestic animals within a limited 
district are subjected to similar circumstances, 
being bred and used for the same purpose, the 
characteristics and looks of different animals 
the yak of Thibet.—( Bos gruniens.) 
