ALLEN: MAMMALS FROM THE BLUE NILE VALLEY. 309 



Nose to root of tail 

 Tail (from anterior base to tip) 

 Caicaneum to tip of hoof 

 Ear from meatus to tip 

 Standing height at shoulder 

 Half girth back of fore leg 

 Fore hoof, length of under side 



" " greatest breadth 

 Hind hoof, length of under side 



" " greatest breadth 

 Greatest expanse of horns, outside 

 Greatest width of basal expansion of horn 



From these measurements it appears that the animal with the 

 smallest spread of horns was the largest in body. The one with the 

 broadest spread, however, (880 mm. = 34.5 inches) did not have the 

 broadest base. The greater size of the anterior hoofs is also apparent; 

 and is greatest in the largest-bodied specimen with the least spread of 

 horns. 



Buffalo are now rare on the Blue Nile, at least along the north 

 bank where our route lay. The only place where we learned of their 

 presence was near a small native village called Omdurman, a few days' 

 journey below Roseires. Here apparently was a small herd of perhaps 

 eight or ten, that came almost nightly to the edge of a large marsh or 

 to the vegetable gardens of the natives. They were very wary and dur- 

 ing the day were not to be discovered, for they frequented the thickest 

 cover along the river. As the natives are without firearms, the 

 Buffalo have little to fear from them, though with shouts and fire- 

 brands at night the men often frighten them from the growing crops. 

 Passing sportsmen, or English officials, however, sometimes stop to 

 hunt here. Cotton (1912) notes Buffalo at El Garef. Matschie's 

 specimen of B. azrakensis is said to have come from Roseires, but may 

 not have been shot in that immediate vicinity. 



It was not until we reached the Dinder that we found Buffalo in 

 any numbers. As the district was closed for a time, we were obliged 

 to retrace our steps from Roseires several days' journey down stream 

 before we were allowed to cross over, a two days' march to the Dinder. 

 This stream goes partly dry in the rainless season, so is much less 

 disturbed and only very sparingly settled by natives. At El Kuka 



