India in 1887 as Seen by Robert Wallace Author:Robert Wallace Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: CHAPTER II.-CHARACTERISTICS OF BREEDS OF CATTLE. Mysore Cattle — Their Origin — Names — Original Type — Distinguishing Features—As Milkers—PUtes I., II., III.... more », and IV.—Early History of the Amrit Mahal Breed at Hunsur—Early Castration—History (continued) —Early Castration—Restoration of the Herd—Recent History—Leading Strains of Mysore Blood—Village Cattle—Punganur Variety. Mysore Cattle.1 Plates /., //., ///., IV., V. RIG IN.—The members of this breed are divided into many branches, each branch being noted for some particular character or characters, while, at the same time, all retain a certain unmistakable similarity in points and qualities that distinctly mark them out among other Indian or foreign cattle. There is a tradition among the herdsmen that the original breed, which brought the characters above referred to, was imported from the north-west, and it is supposed that in those early days, in addition to the qualities for which they arc now valued, they possessed good milking powers, and were kept and reared partly on this account. Names.—The breed is known by sundry generic names, used by people at a distance, which, along with the specific names of the different local strains of blood, lead to no little confusion. Hunam, or South breed, is the name 1 For much information regarding the ancient history of this breed, I am indebted to the able and experienced officer (Col. Hay) at the time, September 1887, in charge of the Government Cattle Farm, Mysore. given by people living to the north. It is a common practice in India to give in the name an indication of the direction from which imported cattle come. The name Khilari signifies that they are reared and kept in herds— from Khilar, a herd—in contradistinction to cattle bred in smaller numbers and in clo...« less