600 UXGULATA. 



ance of morose, lowering ill-temper, which is in perfect accordance with 

 its real character. 



Owing to the enormous heavy mass which is situated on the fore- 

 head, the Cape Buffalo does not see very well in a straight line, so that 

 a man may sometimes cross the track of a buffalo within a hundred 

 yards, and not be seen by the animal, provided that he walks quietly, 

 and does not attract attention by the sound of his footsteps. This animal 

 is ever a dangerous neighbor, but when it leads a solitary life among the 

 thickets and marshy places, it is a worse antagonist to a casual passen- 

 ger than even the lion himself In such a case, it has an unpleasant 

 habit of remaining quietiy in its lair until the unsuspecting traveler 

 passes closely to its place of concealment, and then leaping suddenly 

 upon him like some terrible monster of the waters, dripping with mud, 

 and filled with rage. When it has succeeded in its attack, it first tosses 

 the unhappy victim in the air, then kneels upon his body, in order to 

 crush the life out of him, then butts at the dead corpse until it has given 

 vent to its insane fury, and ends by licking the mangled limbs until it 

 strips off the flesh with its rough tongue. 



Many such tragical incidents have occurred, chiefly, it must be 

 acknowledged, owing to the imprudence of the sufferer; and there are 

 few coverts in Southern Africa which are not celebrated for some such 

 terrible incident. Sometimes the animal is so recklessly furious in its 

 unreasoning anger, that it absolutely blinds itself by its heedless rush 

 through the formidable thorn-bushes which are so common in Southern 

 Africa. Even when in company with others of their own species, they 

 are liable to sudden bursts of emotion, and will rush blindly forward, 

 heedless of everything but the impulse that drives them forward. In 

 one instance, the leader ot the herd being wounded, dropped on Ins 

 knees, and was instantly crushed by the trampling hoofs of his comrades, 

 as they rushed over the prostrate body of their chief 



The flesh of the Cape Buffalo is not in great request even among the 

 Kaffirs, who are in no wise particular in their diet. The hide, how- 

 ever, is exceedingly valuable, being used for the manufacture of sundry 

 leathern implements where great strength is required without much 

 f^exibilitv. 



The Cape Buffalo is little larger than an ordinary ox. The strangely 

 shaped horns are black in color, and so large that the distance between 

 their points is not unfrequcntly four to five feet. They are very wide at 



