BUFFALO. 97 



the only riches of mankind ; and still he is the basis of 

 the riches of those nations, which only flourish and are 

 supported by the cultivation of their lands, and the num- 

 ber of their cattle. In a wild state, the ox is found in 

 the marshy forests and vales of Poland and Lithuania. 

 In this state it has the name of Bison, and is a ferocious 

 and savage beast. Its horns are bent forward ; it has a 

 large hunch or swelling upon its shoulders, and a long 

 mane upon its neck. In Chillingham Park, belonging to 

 Lord Tankerville, near Berwick ; Wollerton, in Not- 

 tinghamshire, the seat of Lord Middleton; and at Chart- 

 ley, in Staffordshire, there are kept, at this day, breeds of 

 these animals, which are nearly wild. Oxen attain ma- 

 turity at the age of about eighteen months, and continue 

 in vigour until they are nine or ten years old. The du- 

 ration of their lives seldom exceeds the term of fourteen 

 or fifteen years. 



The varieties of the ox, though numerous, are not so 

 much so as those of the sheep. In Great Britain, there 

 are about ten distinct kinds of cattle, three of which are 

 destitute of horns. 



The Surat Ox is peculiar for its extremely diminutive 

 size. It is not larger than a great dog, and is frequently 

 employed in Surat, for drawing children about in small 

 carts. 



Buffalo. In several parts of India, Africa, and Italy, 

 Buffalos are domesticated like our ox, and trained to 

 labour. They are very tractable in this state, and, 

 from their enormous powers of body, prove highly use- 

 ful both for draught and carriage. The mode in which 

 they are guided, is by a ring, passed through the nose. 



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