curious Indian painting, in the possession of Gilbert Innes, of Stow. It
forms one of a numerous group of figures, represented at a grand Eastern
festival. There are two more of them in the same painting. In this and
both the others, the horns bend inwards in a circular form; and it would
seem, too, that if a transverse section of the horn was made at any
place, that also would be circular. But this is a defect in the
painting, for although all the horns of the Arnee tribe bend in a
circular form, yet if the horn be cut transversely, the section is not
circular, but rather of a triangular shape. The horns of the Arnee rise
in a curve upwards, nearly in the same plane with the forehead, neither
bending forward nor backward. That part of the horn which fronts you
when the animal looks you in the face, is nearly flat, having a ridge
projecting a little forward all along, nearer the outer curvature of the
horn; from that ridge outward it goes backward, not at right angles, but
bending a little outward; and near the back part there is another obtuse
rounded ridge, where it turns inward, so as to join another obtuse,
rounded angle, at the inner curvature of the horn. Along the whole
length, especially toward the base of the horn, there are irregular
transverse dimples, or hollows and rugosities, more nearly resembling
those of a ram, than that of a common ox's horn, but no appearance of
rings, denoting the age of the animal, as in the horns of our cattle.
This description of the horns is taken from a pair of real horns of the
animal, now in the possession of Mr. James Haig, merchant in Leith, that
were sent home to him this year (1792) by his brother, Mr. W. Haig, of
the 'Hawkesbury' East-Indiaman, and of which the following cut
represents a front view. The little figure marked _a_, represents a
section of the horn near its base.
[Illustration: (1).--Horns of young Arnee--Scale of Half an Inch to a
Foot.]
In this young specimen (1) the length of the skull is exactly two feet,
and the distance between the tops of the horns thirty-five inches. In
the following sketch (2) from the Museum of the College of Surgeons, the
length of the skull is likewise two feet, and the distance between the
tips of the horns three feet four inches and a half.
The young animal just referred to, was found in a situation near which
no other animal of this sort had ever before been discovered: it was
killed by the crew of the 'Hawkesbury,' in the river Ganges, about fifty
miles below Calcutta, at the place where the ships usually lie.
The flesh was eaten by the ship's company, by whom it was considered
very good meat. Although conjectured to be only two years old, it
weighed, when cut up, 360 lbs. the quarter, which is 1440 lbs. the
carcase, exclusive of head, legs, hide, and entrails.
[Illustration: (2).--Horns of Arnee.--Scale of Half an Inch to a Foot.]
[Illustration: (3).--Horns of Arnee.--Scale of Half an Inch to a Foot.]
This last sketch (3) is from a pair of horns in the British Museum, of
which the following are the dimensions:--
Ft. In.
The horn _a_, from tip to base, along the outer curve 6 6
The horn _b_ ditto ditto 6 3
Circumference at the base of horn _a_ 1 5
Ditto ditto of horn _b_ 1 6[A]
The Arnee is by far the largest animal of the Ox tribe yet known. In its
native country _it is said_ to measure usually twelve, sometimes
fourteen, feet from the ground to the highest part of the back! The one
in the vignette, p. 111, comparing it with the man on its back, would
not seem to be quite so tall.
From the appearance of the three Arnees in the painting before
mentioned, it would seem that they are quite docile, and easily tamed;
for they are all standing quietly, with a person on their back, who
guides them by means of a rein, formed of a cord fastened to the gristle
of the nose, in the Eastern manner. The colour of the animal, in all the
three figures, is a pure black, except between the horns, where there is
a small tuft of longish hair of a bright red colour.
From the accounts of more recent travellers, there seem to be two or
three varieties of this animal, which exist, both in a wild and domestic
state, in China as well as India.
According to Major Smith, the gigantic or Taur-elephant Arnee, appears
to be rare; found only single, or in small families, in the upper
eastern provinces and forests at the foot of the Himalaya. A party of
officers of the British Cavalry, stationed in the north of Bengal, went
on a three months' hunting expedition to the eastward, and destroyed in
that time forty-two Tigers, and numerous wild Buffaloes, but only one
Arnee. When the head of this specimen rested perpendicularly on the
ground, it required the out-stretched arms of a man to hold the points
of the horns. These are described as angular, with the broadest side to
the rear; the two others anterior and inferior; they are of a brownish
colour, and wrinkled; standing outwards, and not bent back; straight for
near two thirds of their length, then curving inwards, with the tips
rather back. The face is nearly straight, and the breadth of the
forehead is carried down with little diminution to the foremost grinder.
There is a spirited figure of a long-horned Buffalo in Captain
Williamson's 'Oriental Field Sports,' which Major Smith considers to be
a representation of the great Arnee; and of which Captain Williamson
relates the following anecdote:--
"The late Dr. Baillie, who was a very keen and capable sportsman, used,
in my idea, to run many very foolish risks among Buffaloes. I often
remonstrated with him on his temerity, but he was so infatuated, that it
was all to no purpose. One morning, as we were riding on the same
elephant to the hunting-ground, to save our horses as much as possible,
we saw a very large Buffalo lying on the grass, which was rather short
and thin; as usual, the doctor would have a touch at him, and, heedless
of my expostulation, dismounted with his gun. The Buffalo, seeing him
approach, rose and shook his head as a prelude to immediate hostilities.
My friend fired, and hit him on the side. The enraged brute came
thundering at the doctor, who lost no time in running round to the
opposite side of the elephant; the _mohout_, at the same time, pushed
forward, to meet and screen him from the Buffalo, which absolutely put
his horns under the elephant's belly, and endeavoured to raise him from
the ground. We had no other gun, and might, perhaps, have felt some more
severe effects from the doctor's frolic, had not the Buffalo, from loss
of blood, dropped at our side. The Buffalo was upwards of six feet high
at the shoulder, and measured nearly a yard in breadth at the chest. His
horns were above five feet and a half in length."
In systems of classification, even of very recent date, the Arnee is
considered merely as a variety of the Buffalo. It appears to me,
however, that our information on the subject is not yet sufficiently
precise to determine this point.
[Illustration]
FOOTNOTES:
[A] In Shaw's 'Zoology,' it is mentioned that a Mr. Dillon saw some
horns in India which were ten feet long.
THE ZAMOUSE, OR BUSH COW.
_Bos Brachyceros._
[Illustration]
[The following extract, from the 'Annals of Nat. Hist.,' vol. ii, p.
284, is from the pen of Mr. J. E. Gray.]
"Captain Clapperton and Colonel Denham, when they returned from their
expedition in Northern and Central Africa, brought with them two heads
of a species of Ox, covered with their skins. These heads are the
specimens which are mentioned in Messrs. Children and Vigors' accounts
of the animals collected in the expedition, as belonging to the
Buffalo, _Bos Bubalus_, and they are stated to be called _Zamouse_ by
the natives; but, as no particular locality is given for the head, this
name is probably the one applied to the common Buffalo, which is found
in most parts of North Africa.
"Having some years ago compared these heads with the skull of the common
Buffalo, _Bos Bubalus_, and satisfied myself, from the difference in the
form and position of the horns, that they were a distinct species, in
the 'Mag. of Nat. Hist.,' for 1837 (new series, vol. i, p. 589), I
indicated them as a new species, under the name of _Bos Brachyceros_.
"In the course of this summer (1838), Mr. Cross, of the Surrey
Zoological Gardens, received from Sierra Leone, under the name of the
_Bush Cow_, a specimen which serves more fully to establish the species.
It differs from the Buffalo and all other oxen in several important
characters, especially in the large size and particular bearding of the
ears, and in being totally deficient in any dewlap. It also differs from
the Buffalo in its forehead, being flatter and quite destitute of the
convex form which is so striking in all the varieties of that animal.
"Mr. Cross's cow is, like the head in the Museum, of a nearly uniform
pale chesnut colour. The hair is rather scattered, and nearly
perpendicular to the surface of the body. The legs, about the knees and
hocks, are rather darker. The ears are very large, with two rows of very
long hairs on the inner side, and a tuft of long hairs at the tips. The
body is short and barrel-shaped, and the tail reaches to the hocks,
rather thin and tapering, with a tuft of long hairs at the tip. The
chest is rounded and rather dependent, but without the least appearance
of a dewlap; and the horns nearly resemble those of the Museum
specimen, but are less developed, from the sex and evidently greater
youth of the animal. The Rev. Mr. Morgan informs me that the animal is
not rare in the bush near Sierra Leone.
"I have added a slight sketch of Mr. Cross's animal, which I hope will
enable any person to distinguish this very distinct and interesting
addition to the species of this useful genus."
The engraving at the head of this article is a reduced copy of Mr.
Gray's figure just alluded to. The following representation of the head
is from a specimen in the British Museum.
[Illustration]
THE MUSK OX.
_Bos Moschatus._
[Illustration]
The Musk-ox, in its external appearance, more nearly resembles the Yak
of Thibet than any other member of the Bos genus; and they both inhabit
mountainous districts near regions of perpetual snow.
The horns of the Musk Bull are remarkably broad at their bases, which
are closely united; they bend down on each side of the head, with an
outward curve turning upwards towards their ends, which taper to a sharp
point. They are two feet long measured along the curvature, and two feet
in girth at the base; the weight of a pair of these horns is sometimes
sixty pounds. The broad base of the horn is hollow on the inside, and of
a form approaching to a square; when this is separated from the head and
the other part of the horn, it forms a convenient dish, which is very
generally used by the native Esquimaux for many domestic purposes.
The horns of the cow are nine inches distant from each other at the
base, and are placed exactly on the sides of the head; they are thirteen
inches long, and eight or nine inches round at the base.
The head and the body generally is covered with very long silky hairs of
a dark colour; some of which are seventeen inches long; on the middle of
the back (which is broad and flat), the hair is lighter and not so long.
Beneath the long hairs, in all parts, there is a thick coat of cinereous
wool of exquisite fineness. M. Jeramie brought some to France, of which
stockings were made more beautiful than silk.
The tail is only three inches long, and completely covered with very
long hairs, so as to be undistinguishable to the sight. Of this tail,
the Esquimaux of the northwest side of Hudson's Bay, make a cap of a
most horrible appearance, for the hairs fall all round their heads, and
cover their faces; yet it is of singular service in keeping off the
musquitoes, which would otherwise be intolerable.
The ears are only three inches long, quite erect, and sharp pointed, but
dilate much in the middle; they are thickly lined with hair of a dusky
colour, marked with a stripe of white.
The frog in the hoof is soft, partially covered with hair, and
transversely ribbed. The following sketch represents the under surface
of the foot of the Musk-ox, the external hoof being rounded, the
internal pointed.
[Illustration]
The foot-marks of the Musk-ox and those of the rein-deer are so much
alike, that it requires the eye of an experienced hunter to distinguish
them. The mark of the Musk-ox's hoof, however, is a little narrower.
The food of the Musk-ox is the same with that of the rein-deer--lichens
and grass; and sometimes twigs and shoots of willow, birch, and pine.
At present this animal is not found in a lower latitude than 66 deg.; but
formerly they came much further to the south; and their flesh used to be
brought by the natives to Fort Churchill in latitude 58 deg.. It would
appear that they are retiring northward, probably owing to the alarm
created by the attacks made upon them by fire-arms. It is worthy of
remark, that the American Bison has also retreated considerably to the
north. According to Dr. Richardson, the Musk-ox inhabits the North
Georgian Islands in the summer months. They arrive in Melville Island in
the middle of May, crossing the ice from the southward, and quit it on
their return towards the end of September.
The Musk-oxen, like the Bison, herd together in bands, and generally
frequent barren grounds during the summer months, keeping near the
rivers; but retire to the woods in winter. They seem to be less watchful
than most other wild animals; and when feeding are not difficult of
approach, provided the hunters go against the wind. When two or three
men get so near a herd as to fire at them from different points, these
animals, instead of separating or running away, huddle closer together,
and in this case they are easily shot down; but if the wound is not
mortal, they become enraged, and dart in the most furious manner at the
hunters, who must be very dexterous to evade them; for, notwithstanding
the shortness of their legs, they can run with great rapidity, and climb
hills and rocks, with great ease. They can defend themselves by their
powerful horns against wolves and bears, which, as the Indians say, they
not unfrequently kill.--(Capt. Franklin's 'Journey to the Polar Sea.')
They are hunted in their winter retreats by the Esquimaux only, the
Indian tribes never visiting the barren grounds at that season.
When the Musk-ox is fat, its flesh is well tasted, and it is then
preferred by the Copper Indians to the rein-deer. The flesh of bulls is
high-flavoured; but both bulls and cows smell strongly of musk, their
flesh at the same time being very dark and tough. The contents of the
paunch, and other intestinal parts, are relished as much by the Indian
as the similar parts of the rein-deer.--(Appendix to Capt. Parry's
'Second Voyage.')
The weight of the bulls killed during Capt. Parry's Second Voyage was,
on an average about 700 lbs., yielding about 400 lbs. of meat. Their
height, at the withers, was about ten hands and a half.
They were observed by Capt. Franklin's party to rut in the end of
August and beginning of September; and Hearne says, that they bring
forth one calf in the latter end of May, or beginning of June; thus the
period of gestation is about nine months.
The figure at the beginning of this article, as well as the following
cut of the head, are from the beautiful specimen of the Musk Ox, in the
British Museum.
[Illustration: Head of Musk Ox.]
THE SANGA, OR GALLA OX.
_(See Frontispiece). Bos ----?_
This singular animal is only found in Abyssinia, and is famous on
account of its horns, which are of an almost incredible size.
Bruce the traveller, in speaking of these horns, says, "The animal
furnishing these monstrous horns is a cow or bull which would be
considered of a middling size in England. This extraordinary size of its
horns proceeds from a disease that the cattle have in these countries,
of which they die, and is probably derived from their pasture and
climate. When the animal shows symptoms of this disorder, he is set
apart in the very best and quietest grazing place, and never driven or
molested from that moment. His value lies then in his horns, for his
body becomes emaciated and lank, in proportion as the horns grow large;
at the last period of his life, the weight of his head is so great that
he is unable to lift it up, or at least for any space of time. The
joints of his neck become callous at last, so that it is not any longer
in his power to lift his head. In this situation he dies, with scarcely
flesh to cover his bones, and it is then his horns are of the greatest
value. I have seen horns that would contain as much as a common sized
water-pail, such as they make use of in the houses in England."[B]
So far Mr. Bruce. Mr. Salt, who visited Abyssinia some years afterwards,
gives a somewhat different account. He says: "Here [_i. e._ at Gibba],
for the first time, I was gratified by the sight of the Galla Oxen, or
Sanga, celebrated throughout Abyssinia for the remarkable size of its
horns. Three of these animals were grazing among the other cattle in
perfect health, which circumstance, together with the testimony of the
natives, 'that the size of the horns is in no instance occasioned by
disease,' completely refutes the fanciful theory given by Mr. Bruce
respecting this creature. It appears by the papers annexed to the last
edition of Mr. Bruce's work, that he never met with the Sanga; but that
he made many attempts to procure specimens of the horns, through Yanni,
a Greek, residing at Adowa. This old man very correctly speaks of them,
in his letters, as being only brought by the Cafilas from Antalo; and I
have now ascertained that they are sent to this country as valuable
presents, by the chiefs of the Galla, whose tribes are spread to the
southward of Enderta. So far, then, as to the description of the horns,
and the purposes to which they are applied by the Abyssinians, Mr.
Bruce's statements may be considered as correct; but with respect to
'the disease which occasions their size, probably derived from their
pasture and climate,' 'the care taken of them to encourage this
disease,' 'the emaciation of the animal,' and 'the extending of the
disorder to the spine of the neck, which at last becomes callous, so
that it is not any longer in the power of the animal to lift its head,'
they all prove to be mere ingenious conjectures, thrown out by the
author solely for the exercise of his own ingenuity.
"I should not venture to speak so positively upon this matter, had I
not indisputably ascertained the facts; for the Ras having subsequently
made me a present of three of these animals alive, I found them not only
in excellent health, but so exceedingly wild, that I was obliged to have
them shot. The horns of one of these are now deposited in the Museum of
the Surgeons' College, and a still larger pair are placed in the
collection of Lord Valentia, at Arley Hall. The length of the largest
horn of this description was nearly four feet, and its circumference at
the base twenty-one inches.
"It might have been expected that the animal, carrying horns of so
extraordinary a magnitude, would have proved larger than others
belonging to the same genus; but in every instance which came under my
observation, this was by no means the case. The etching on the following
page, which was copied from an original sketch (taken from the life),
may serve to convince the reader of this fact; and it will convey a
better idea of the animal than any description in writing I can pretend
to give. I shall only further observe, that its colour appeared to vary
as much as in the other species of its genus, and that the peculiarity
of the size of the horns was not confined to the male, the female being
very amply provided with this ornamental appendage to her forehead."
Notwithstanding the bold and confident tone of Mr. Salt's
counter-statement, it must be confessed, that the figure which he
himself gives from the life (and of which the frontispiece to this
volume is an exact copy), seems rather to coincide with Mr. Bruce's
account, being, to all appearance, both "lank and emaciated."
Engraving of the horns presented by Mr. Salt to the
Museum of the College of Surgeons.
[Illustration: Horns of Galla Ox.]
Ft. In.
Length of each round the outer curve 3 10-1/2
Distance between the tips 3 4
Circumference at the base 1 3
Distance between the bases at the forehead 0 3-1/2
The Sanga is usually considered as a mere variety of _Bos Taurus_. This
may possibly be the fact; but we have no proof whatever that it is so:
no information on this point has been presented beyond mere conjecture.
This being the case, and in the absence of direct anatomical evidence,
we may be pardoned in considering it, at least, as doubtful; especially
as there are so many points of external dissimilarity. The principal
differences are: 1st, in the shoulder, upon which there is a hump; 2d,
in the back, which descends (as in the Buffaloes and Zebus), abruptly
towards the tail; 3d, in the greater length of the legs; and 4th, in the
forehead, which is only three inches and a half between the bases of the
horns, whilst in the Common Ox it is nine inches.
The horns represented in the following sketch, are those of the
Hungarian Ox (a variety of _Bos Taurus_), and are almost as remarkable
for their length and expansion as those of the Abyssinian Sanga. The
length of each horn is three feet four inches and a half, and the
distance between the tips is five feet one inch. The sketch is from a
specimen in the British Museum.
[Illustration]
FOOTNOTES:
[B] Jerom Lobo, in his account of Abyssinia, mentions that some of the
horns of the Buffaloes of that country will hold ten quarts.
INDIAN DOMESTIC CATTLE.
_Bos ----?_
THE ZEBU, OR BRAHMIN OX.--(_Var. alpha._)
[Illustration]
The opinions expressed in the following extract from Mr. Bennett's
description of the Indian Ox (Gardens and Menag. of the Zool. Soc.), may
be taken as a correct exposition of the views of naturalists generally
on the subject:--
"There can be little doubt that the Zebu, or Indian Ox, is merely a
variety of the Common Ox, although it is difficult to ascertain the
causes by which the distinctive characters of the two races have been in
the process of time gradually produced. But whatever the causes may
have been, their effects rapidly disappear by the intermixture of the
breeds, and are entirely lost at the end of a few generations. This
intermixture and its results would alone furnish a sufficient proof of
identity of origin; which, consequently, scarcely requires the
confirmation to be derived from the perfect agreement of their internal
structure, and of all the more essential particulars of their external
confirmation. These, however, are not wanting; not only is their
anatomical structure the same, but the form of their heads, which
affords the only certain means of distinguishing the actual species of
this genus from each other, presents no difference whatever. In both the
forehead is flat, or more properly slightly depressed; nearly square in
its outline, its height being equal to its breadth; and bounded above by
a prominent line, forming an angular protuberance, passing directly
across the skull between the bases of the horns. The only circumstances
in fact in which the two animals differ, consists in the fatty hump on
the shoulders of the Zebu, and in the somewhat more slender and delicate
make of its legs."
In a scientific work, it is not sufficient for the author merely to make
an assertion; it is not even sufficient for him to say that he has made
an experiment or observation, and merely give the result; he should, in
every case where it is practicable, describe the nature of his
experiment,--the _when_, the _where_, the _how_;--and the means and
opportunity he had of making his observations, that the curious or
sceptical inquirer may be enabled to perform the experiment, or make the
observation for himself.
Mr. Bennett tells us, that the differences observable in the Indian Ox
and the Common Ox "_rapidly_ disappear by the intermixture of the
breeds, and are entirely lost at the end of a few generations;" but he
does not refer to a single instance of this, authentic or otherwise; nor
are we aware that any such instance ever occurred.
Again, he states that "their anatomical structure is the same;" but he
does not inform us when, or where, or how, the comparison was made which
enabled him to arrive at that conclusion.
Wishing to satisfy myself, as far as possible, on this point, I have
examined the skeleton both of the British Domestic Ox and the Zebu; and
the following is the result of that examination:--
NUMBER OF VERTEBRAE.
Cerv. Dors. Lumb. Sac. Caud. Total.
In the Zebu 7 13 6 4 18 = 48
In the Common Ox 7 13 6 5 21 = 52
The skeletons may still be seen in the Museum of the College of
Surgeons.
Furthermore, the period of gestation of the Brahmin Cow (according to
the MS. records of the Zoological Society), is 300 days, while that of
the Common Cow is only 270 days.
Whether the differences here pointed out are sufficient to constitute
specific distinction, is left for the umpires to decide.
[Illustration: THE ZEBU.--(_Var. beta._)]