India in 1887 as seen by Robert Wallace / [Robert Wallace].

  • Robert Wallace
Date:
1888
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: India in 1887 as seen by Robert Wallace / [Robert Wallace]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    eyelids, and feet were at times accompanied by a white or light skin, but this was the exception rather than the rule. Those with white noses and, for the most part, black skins, though they do not suffer from the direct influence of the sun, yet are said to be softer in constitution. As milkers, the cows are notorious for their poor yield. It is a common tendency in all breeds for the milking qualities to degenerate when calves suck in a state of nature, as when cattle go in herds. Plate I. shows a beautiful specimen of a five-year old bull, “full-mouthed,” and perfectly developed in every respect ; and Plate II. of a cow, with her calf two days old, equally representative of the breed. These were selected from a fine lot of cattle which had been brought from Hunsur to the Government farm in Khandesh, with the commendable object of starting a small well-bred herd. The bull cost about Rs. 100. He measured 48 inches high behind the hump, and 5| inches more with the hump ; his horns were 1 foot 8 inches long and 9J inches in girth at the base. Plate III. represents two bandy (carriage) cattle in the good condition in which such beasts are kept by European officers and wealthy natives. The well-developed masculine characters, including their massive necks, show that they have not been weakened by early castration. Plate IV. shows the thin necks and the irregularity in form of horn resulting from early castration. History of the Breed. The early history of the “Awrit Mahal”x cattle seems to say, picking up the threads of the story of the Mysore 1 “ Amrit Mahal ” comes from “ Amrutk,” which at first signified nectar, and more recently milk ; and “ Mahal, a palace, and might, in its early days, have been the breed kept to supply the rulers with milk, as well as with bullocks for purposes of war. Some authorities say this origin is extremely doubtful. I)