198 THE GIRAFFE— CAMEL— BUFFALO 



approached with the greatest caution. He vvill ahiiost invariably 

 charge a man on sighting or scenting him, and as his eyes are very 

 good and his hide so thick that a buhet must be very well placed to 

 stop one, the wise hunter sees to it that he is within reach of a tree 

 which can be quickly climbed before interfering with even a single 

 bufifalo. The charge of a herd is simply irresistible and actually car- 

 ries all before it. Even small trees offer no opposition, and they go 

 through the jungle like a traction engine. 



The full grown male stands about five feet six to eight inches 

 high at the shoulders and is upwards of twelve feet in extreme length. 

 His whole structure is very powerful, with a short neck and ponderous 

 body, deep chested and mounted on short solid legs terminating in a 

 divided hoof. The back is straight and hunchless and the head is 

 short and small in proportion to the animal's bulk. It seems odd that 

 the buffalo should be able to attain such high speed with the short legs 

 nature has endowed him with, but one has only to witness one buffalo 

 charge to be convinced of his great speed forever after. 



The buffalo's eyes are a very good indication of his character. 

 They are small and sinister, overshadowed by rough and ponderous 

 dark colored horns, nearly in contact at the base, spreading hori- 

 zontally, and turned upwards and inwards at the tips, which measure 

 from four to five feet between. The hide is bluish purple, black and 

 bare with the exception of a few bristles. The muzzle is square and 

 moist, shaped like that of the ox. The female is like the male, but 

 smaller. They inhabit the plains and forests of the interior in large 

 herds. 



