THE PSYCHOLOGY OF CATTLE.
[To EDITOR Os THE " SPECTATOR:1 [Sra,—Colonel Cadell's letter (Spectator, September 21st) is very interesting, and recalls a similar incident related by Colonel Pollock, though, in the latter case, the Colonel, trip- ping over a wild vine, lost his shot, and the buffaloes, hunting like so many hounds, finished the job "on their own." Mowgli knew his business when he sent the cows and calves round to one end of the wall-sided pass where Shere Khan was lying, and, himself riding the big bull Rama, brought the bulls in at the other end. "Before they were fairly in the bed of the ravine Rama winded Shere Khan and bellowed. • Ha! ha!' said Mowgli, on his back, ' how thou knowest I'" Ordinary • -domestic cattle would be useless in a strait unless under the ;influence of the Storge, but then all initiative has been carefully --bred out of them. A cow with any originality would not suit the farmer. A vicious cow won't fat," as we say in Dorset. And the little Forest cattle, who can fend for themselves, are not favourites in the enclosed country. "They jumpin' heifers," as s friend of mine phrased it, are apt to lead the solid herd astray. But the half-wild West Highlanders form line of battle in the orthodox fashion, bolls in front, on the .approach of strangers, and so do the wild white cattle at Chillingham. So--we must- -nut -blame the heavy-footed cattle that are so stupid and tiresome when you try to ride .among them on the road, remembering that they are only animated milk- and flesh-making Machines of our own
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