289 
for the necessities of the animal creation in general, 
and of man in particular, in this delightful island. 
A vast variety of the most useful and agreeable 
fruits, plants, and roots, are profusely scattered around 
him, affording a gratuitous subsistence, requiring 
scarcely more exertion than the trouble of gathering. 
The plains are abundantly furnished with oxen, sheep, 
and goats. The fields and woods swarm with game 
of every description, and a variety of quadrupeds 
fit for food; and the rivers, lakes, and sea-coasts, 
abound with wild-fowl and the most delicious fish. 
Honey is found in abundance in the woods, and not 
less than ten or twelve kinds of oil are extracted from 
various plants and fruits. We shall now present the 
reader with the detailed account of these various pro¬ 
ductions, beginning with the animal creation. 
The different species of quadrupeds are by no 
means numerous in Madagascar, but there is no 
scarcity of those which are to be found there. Of 
the cow kind, there are four varieties described by 
travellers :—one similar to our English ox in size, 
shape, and colour, with long horns # ; a second, 
(called by the natives boury) has a round head with¬ 
out horns; a third kind has horns hanging quite 
loose, being fastened by the skin to the head. The 
fourth variety is the bison, which, though very different 
from the rest of the cow kind, is ranked by natu- 
* This animal is described by both Flacourt and Drury, as 
running wild in the province of Machicones. See Note on 
p. 84. 
U 
