MAMMALIA — BUFFALO. 381 



ignoble manner, and his bead in a very bad posture, almost always inclined 

 towards the ground. His voice is a hideous bellowing, with a tone much 

 stronger and more hoarse than that of the bull ; his legs are thin, his tail 

 bare, and his physiognomy dark, like his hair and skin. He differs exter- 

 nally from the ox, chiefly in the color of his hide ; and this is easily per- 

 ceived under the hair, with which he is but sparingly furnished. His body 

 is likewise thicker and shorter than that of the ox ; his legs are longer, and 

 proportionably much less. The horns not so round, black, and partly 

 compressed, with a tuft of hair frizzled over his forehead ; his hide is like- 

 wise thicker and harder than that of the ox ; his flesh is black and hard, 

 and not only disagreeable to the taste, but to the smell ; the milk of the 

 female is not so good as that of the cow ; nevertheless she yields a greater 

 quantity. In the hot countries of the eastern continent, almost all the 

 cheese is made of buffalo's milk. The flesh of the young buffalo, though 

 killed during the suckling time, is not good. The hide alone, is ol 

 more value than all the rest of the beast, whose tongue is the only 

 part that is fit to eat. This hide is firm, light, and almost impenetrable. 

 As these animals, in general, are larger and stronger than the oxen, they 

 are very serviceable in the plough ; they draw well, but do not carry bur- 

 dens; they are led by the means of a ring passed through their nose. Two 

 buffalos, harnessed, or rather chained, to a wagon, will draw as much as 

 four strong horses. 



The form and thickness of the buffalo, alone, are sufficient to indicate 

 that he is a native of the hottest countries. The largest quadrupeds belong 

 to the torrid zone in the Old Continent ; and the buffalo, for his size and 

 thickness, ought to be classed with the elephant, the rhinoceros, and the 

 hippopotamus. The camel is more elevated, but slenderer, and is also an 

 inhabitant of the southern countries of Africa and Asia ; nevertheless, the 

 buffalos live and multiply in Italy, in France, and in other temperate pro- 

 vinces. Those that are in the French king's menagerie, have brought forth 

 two or three times. The female has but one at a time, and. goes about 

 twelve months ; which is another proof of the difference between this 

 species and that of the cow, who only goes nine months. It appears, also, 

 that these animals are gentler and less brutal in their native country ; and 

 the hotter the climate is, the more tractable is their nature. In Egypt they 

 are more so than in Italy; and in India they are more so than in Egypt. 

 Those of Italy have also more hair than those of Egypt, and those of Egypt 

 more than those of India. Their coat is never entirely covered, because 

 they are natives of hot countries ; and, in general, large animals of this 

 climate have either no hair, or else very little. 



There are a great number of wild buffalos in the countries of Africa and 

 India, which are watered with many rivers, and furnished with large mea- 

 dows. These wild buffalos go in droves, and make great havoc in cultivat- 

 ed lands ; but they never attack the human species, and will not run at 



