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BOS ( d 25 ) BOS This thick part next feafon is pulhed further inuring them to labour is at the age of two and a half or head: from the head by a horny cylinder, which js alfo termithree years. The ok eats very quick, and foon fills his firft fto- nated by another fwelling part, and fo on, (for as long mach ; after which he lies down to ruminate, or chew as the ox lives, the horns continue to grow); and thefe become fo many annular knots by which the the cud. The firft and fecond ftomachs are continuations fwellings age may eafily be reckoned: But, from the point to the of the fame bag, and very capacious. After the grafs firft knot muft be counted three years, and every fuchas been chewed over again, it is reduced to a kind of ceeding knot only one year. mafh, not unlike boiled fpinage, and under* this form it is very nourifhing, and yields a ftrong aliment; is fent down to the third ftomach, where it remains and theOx-beef of a cow, when well fatted and young, is not digefts for fome time; but the digeftion is not fully com- muchfldhinferior. Bull-beef is hard, tough, and dry; for pleated till it comes to the fourth ftomach, from which it is thrown down to the guts. The contents of the which reafon it is not much ufed for food. Veal is well firft and fecond ftomachs are a colledtion of grafs and tafted, eafy of digeftion, and rather keeps the body open other vegetables roughly macerated; a fermentation as otherwife. however foon commences, which makes the grafs fwell. The northern countries of Europe produce the beft The communication between the fecond and third fto cattle of this kind. In general, they bear cold better mach is by an opening much fmaller than the gullet, than heat; for this reafon, they are not fo plenty in the and not fufficient for the paifage of the food in this ftate. fouthern countries. There are but few in Afia to the Whenever then the two firft ftomachs are diftended with fouth of Armenia, or in Africa beyond Egypt and Barfood, they begin to contraft, or rather perform a kind bary. America produced none till they were carried of re-adtion. This re-a£tion comprefles the food, and there by the Europeans. But the largeft are to be met makes it endeavour to get out: Now the gullet being with in Denmark, Podolia, the Ukrain, and among the larger than the faflage between the fecond and third fto- Calmuck Tartars; likewife thofe of Ireland, England, machs, the preflure of the ftomach neceflarily forces it Holland, and Hungary, are much larger than thofe of up the gullet. The adtion of ruminating, however, ap- Perfia, Turkey, Greece, Italy, and Spain; but thofe pears to be in a great meafure voluntary; as animals of of Barbary are leaft of all. In all mountainous countries, this kind have a power of increafing the re-adtion of their as Wales, the Highlands of Scotland, the black cattle ftomachs. After the food undergoes a fecond maftica- are exceedingly fmall, but hardy, and when fattened tion, it is then reduced into a thin pulp, which eafily make excellent beef. In Lapland, they are moftly white, paffes from the fecond to the third ftomach, where it is and many of them want horns. The bull, cow, and ftill further macerated; from thence it pafles to the ox, generally live about 14 or 15 years. fourth, where it is reduced to a perfedi mucilage, every 2. The bonafus, has a long main; its horns are bent way prepared for being taken up by the ladteals, and round towards the cheek, and not above a fpan in length. converted into nourilhment. What confirms this ac- It is about the fize of a large bull, and is a native of count of chewing the cud is, that as long as thefe ani- Africa and Afia. When enraged, he throws out his dung mals fuck or feed upon liquid aliment, they never rumi- upon dogs or other animals that annoy him; the dung nate ; and in the winter, when they are obliged to feed has a kind of cauftic quality which burns the hair off any upon hay and other dry vidtuals, they ruminate more animal it falls upon. than when they feed-upon frelh grafs. 3. The bifon, has likewife a long thick mane, which' Bulls, cows, and oxen, are fond of licking themfelves, covers the whole neck and breaft on each fide. The efj ecially when lying at reft. But this pradlice fhould horns are turned upwards, and exceedingly large ; there is be prevented as much as poffible; for as the hair is an a large protuberance or bunch on the back; his eyes are undigeftible fubftance, it lies in the ftomach or guts, and red and fiery, which gives him a furious afpedt. He is is gradually coated by a glutinous fubftance, which in fierce, cruel, and fo bold that he fears nothing. It is time hardens into round ftones of a confiderable bulk, unfafe to hunt him but where the trees are large enough which fometimes kills them, but always prevents their to hide thehunters. He is a native of Mexico and Flofattening, as the ftomach is rendered incapable of digeft- rida. ing the food fo well as it ought. 4. The grunniens, or hog-cow, has cylindrical horns, The age of thefe animals may be diftinguifhed by the bent backwards. The body is fo hairy, that the hair hangs teeth and horns. The firft fore-teeth fall out at the age down upon its knees like a goat. The tail has a kind of of fix months, and are fucceeded by others of a darker mane on each fide. The colour of the body is black; colour, and broader. At the end of fixteen months, the but the front is white. It has briftles on its back, tail, next milk-teeth likewife fall out; and at the "beginning and hind-legs. It is an inhabitant of the North of of the fourth year all the fore-teeth are renewed, and Afia. then they are long, pretty white, and equal : However, 5. The bubalis, or buffalo, has large black horns as the animal advances in years, they become unequal bent backward and inward, and plain before. 7'be hair and blackifti. At the end of three years, the horns of on the back is very hard, but thinly fcattered over the oxen fall off, and new ones arife, which continue as long body. It is a native of Afia. But they are tamed in, as they live. The horns of oxen four years of age are Italy, and ufed for the fame purpofes as black cattle in Imall pointed, neat, and fmooth, but thickeft near the other countries. They draw carriages, and are guided Vol. I. No. 27. 3 7T by
