The searchlight. [volume] (Culbertson, Mont.) 1902-current, 1910-08-12

| ~ ERTAIN popular names quite
unknown to the natives Of the
countries whence these species
~ come are commonly applied in
Europe to various kinds Of
animals. A striking instance
of this Is afforded by the name 'xebu."
which Is In almost universal use all
over Europe as the designation of the
Indian bumped cattle, but is not
part of any oil the numerous languages
Of India. Neither does 1t appear to
be of African origin, although bumped
rattle are found over the greater part
of Africa, as well as In Madagascar.
How 1t had originated, and by whom
1t was first employed in literature.
would be very difficult to ascertain;
but there seems considerable probable
lily that 1t was introduced into natural
history literature by French biologists.
rs 1t is employed by Button in the first
portion of his "Histoire Naturelle,"
published from 1749-67. 1t Is likewise
used in the abbreviated English edi-
ton OF that work. published In 1921,
where zebu, or hunched' oxen, are err
roneously stated to be near relatives
of bison. an the whole continent of
India 1t is there written, "the Islands
of the South Seas; in all Africa, from
Mount Atlas to the Cape of Good
Hope, we find nothing but hunched
oxen; and 1t even appears that this
breed, which has prevailed in all the
hot countries, has many advantages
over the others. These hunched oxen,
like the bison. of which they are the
Issue, have the hair much softer and
more glossy tan our oxen, who, like
The aurochs. are furnished but with
little hair. which Is of harsh nature.
These hunched oxen are also swifter,
and more proper to supply the place
Of a horse; at the same time, they
have n less brutal nature, and are not
SO clumsy and stupid as our oxen;
| they are more tractable and sensible
as to which way you would lead
them" Later on. in reference to the
hump, II is stated that This bunch
does not depend on the conformation
| of the spine, nor on the bones OF the
shoulder; 1t is nothing but an ex-
crescence. kind of wen. a piece OF
tender flesh, as good to eat as the
tongue of an OK. The wens of some
oxen weigh about forty or fifty
pounds: others have them much small
er: some of these oxen have also
prodigious horns for their size."
With the exception of their pre-
Snp,ad ralaf ion hin -, hirn,x orA
details In regard to distribution, this
| account of bumper oxen might almost
have been written by modern natur-
elist. The hump is still a favorite
dish. either hot or cold. In India; and
throughout the whole of the PENN
sular portion of that country these
cattle are still the most common
beasts of draught for both fast and
slow trafiic. So far as can be de-
termined. the hump. although highly
convenient for keeping the yoke In
position. Is quite useless to the AMI
NAL: and II may be suggested that It
Is feature produced by domestica-
ton, just as are the masses Of tissue
at the root OF the tail In fat-rumped
sheep. which are likewise common to
Asia and Africa. The excessive de-
selopment of the dewlap In the Indian
breeds Is probably also the result of
domestication. since the great size Of
this appendage. as well as the pres
ence of the hump, would probably be
exceedingly inconyenient to q wild
animal. In this connection 1t may be
noted that the presence OF big dew
lap In the Indo-Burmese cattle known
as gayal. and its absence In their wild
relative the gaur. probably affords an
other argument In favor of the view
that the former IL nothing more than
domesticated breed of the latter.
dian bumped cattle may likewise be
attributed to domestication. a. 1t IL
pbsent In some Of the Gala bumped
cattle of Africa Even II the hump
and the enormous development of the
dewlap be eliminated. as adventurous
features. there can. however. be no
doubt that bumped cattle are specific
ally distinct from their European rela-
tiyes. which are. for the most part.
the descendants OF the ancient Wild
OK. or aurochs (Bos taurus). From
that species bumped cattle (Bos
Indicus) difier-apart from the hump,
dewlap and convex forehead-by the
liner nature Of their coat. by the gen.
eral type OF color, by the form Of the
horns and skull. and the large and
frequently dropping ears. a. well as
by their voice and habits. To de-
scribe the structural differences
would be out Of place on this occa-
sion; but anyone Who takes the
trouble to pay . visit to the Natural
History museum may zee for himeslf