The Cows of the Isle of Skie (as is recorded by Martin, in his 'Description of the Western Islands of Scotland,') are exposed to the rigour of the coldest seasons, and become mere skeletons in the spring, many of them not being able to rise from the ground without help; but they recover as the season becomes more favorable, and the grass grows up; then they acquire new beef, which is both sweet and tender; the fat and lean is not so much separated in them as in other cows, but as it were larded, which renders it very agreeable to the taste. A cow in this isle may be twelve years old, when at the same time its beef is not above four, five, or six months old.
TABLE OF THE NUMBER OF VERTEBRÆ IN THE VARIOUS SPECIES OF THE GENUS BOS.
| Cerv. | Dors. | Lumb. | Sacr. | Caud. | Total. American Bison | 7 | 14 | 5 | 5 | 12+ | European Bison, | | | | | | or Aurochs | 7 | 14 | 5 | 5 | 19 | 50 Yak | 7 | 14 | 5 | 5 | 14 | 45 Gayal (Domestic) | 7 | 14 | 5 | 5 | 16 | 47 Gayal (Asseel). | | | | | | Gyall | | | | | | Jungli Gau | | | | | | Italian Buffalo. | | | | | | Indian Buffalo. | | | | | | Skeleton of Buffalo | | | | | | in Surg. Coll. | | | | | | (locality unknown) | 7 | 13 | 6 | 5 | 16 | 47 Gaur | 7 | 13 | 6 | 5 | 19 | 50 Domestic Ox | 7 | 13 | 6 | 5 | 21 | 52 Condore Buffalo | | | | | | Manilla Buffalo | 7 | 13 | 6 | | | Pegasse | | | | | | Arnee | | | | | | Cape Buffalo | 7 | 13 | 6 | 4 | 19 | 49 Zamouse (_Bos_ | | | | | | _Brachyceros_) | 7 | 13 | 6 | 4 | 20 | 50 Banteng of Java | | | | | | (_Bos Bantinger_) | 7 | 13 | 6 | 4 | 18 | 48 Zebu, or Brahmin Ox | 7 | 13 | 6 | 4 | 18 | 48 Galla Ox. | | | | | | Backeley | | | | | | (_Caffraria_). | | | | | | Musk Ox | | | | | |
The osteological details in the above Table (except those of the Yak, which are given on the authority of Pallas) are from the Author's own observations.
TABLE OF THE PERIODS OF GESTATION OF THE VARIOUS SPECIES OF THE GENUS BOS.
| Periods | American Bison. | 270 days.--Zool. Proc., 1849. European Bison. | Between 9 and 10 months. | Gayal (Domestic) | Over 10 months | Gyall | 11 months | Indian Buffalo | 10 months 10 days. | Gaur | 12 months Domestic Ox. | 270 days | Manilla Buffalo. | 340 days | Arnee | 12 months Cape Buffalo | 12 months | Zebu, or Brahmin Cow | 300 days | Musk Ox | 9 months