ra, between the
years 1783-96; but Don F. Muniz, of Luxan, who has kindly collected
information for me, states that about 1760 these cattle were kept as
curiosities near Buenos Ayres. Their origin is not positively known, but
they must have originated subsequently to the year 1552, when cattle were
first introduced. Signor Muniz informs me that the breed is believed to
have originated with the Indians southward of the Plata. Even to this day
those reared near the Plata show their less civilized nature in being
fiercer than common cattle, and in the cow, if visited too often, easily
deserting her first calf. The breed is very true, and a niata bull and cow
invariably produce niata calves. The breed has already lasted at least a
century. A niata bull crossed with a common cow, and the reverse cross,
yield offspring having an intermediate character, but with the niata
character strongly displayed. According to Signor Muniz, there is the
clearest evidence, contrary to the common belief of agriculturists in
analogous cases, that the niata cow when crossed with a common bull
transmits her peculiarities more strongly than does the niata bull when
crossed with a common cow. When the pasture is tolerably long, these cattle
feed as well as common cattle with their tongue and palate; but during the
great droughts, when so many animals perish on the Pampas, the niata breed
lies under a great disadvantage, and would, if not attended to, become
extinct; for the common cattle, like horses, are able just to keep alive by
browsing on the twigs of trees and on reeds with their lips: this the
niatas cannot so {91} well do, as their lips do not join, and hence they
are found to perish before the common cattle. This strikes me as a good
illustration of how little we are able to judge from the ordinary habits of
an animal, on what circumstances, occurring only at long intervals of time,
its rarity or extinction may depend. It shows us, also, how natural
selection would have determined the rejection of the niata modification had
it arisen in a state of nature.

Having described the semi-monstrous niata breed, I may allude to a white
bull, said to have been brought from Africa, which was exhibited in London
in 1829, and which has been well figured by Mr. Harvey.[210] It had a hump,
and was furnished with a mane. The dewlap was peculiar, being divided
between its fore-legs into parallel divisions. Its lateral hoofs were
annually shed, and grew t