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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    Village cattle are very irregular in colour and quality, but strongly exhibit the Mysore type as seen in the lower half of Plate V. They, like the well-bred cattle, arc poor milkers, the milk being, even in good years, no more than what the calf requires. In bad years, when milk is not up to the normal quantity, the calves suffer. It is found in the Amrit Mahal herd that this is reflected on the quality of the bullocks years afterwards when they go to work. The Punganur is a small variety of Mysore. The horns curl forward more than in the pure Mysore. The legs arc also shorter, and the temper milder. No doubt the latter is induced by domestication, through close association with human beings while young, the Punganur being a village breed. The bull shown at (d) Plate V., with a hedge of Inga dulsis1 as a background, is one of the few remaining speci- mens of this valuable breed, now almost extinct, having nearly died out along with the owners during one of the recent famines. The few survivors got crossed with inferior cattle, there being no one to care for them. It is much to be regretted that such a breed should have been allowed to vanish, as, in addition to combining many of the good qualities found in breeds still extant, the cows were possessed of the quality rare in Indian cattle—good milk- ing powers. The bullocks were excellent plough cattle, as well as good trotters, in spite of the dewlap being large. 1 This tree was imported from the Philippine Islands, but grows remarkably well in India. It provides firewood and affords good shade and shelter, but it is most valued on account of the forage which its pods supply for cattle and sheep, more especially as they are available in famine times.