AN EXPLOEATIOX IX THE FAE EAST. 407 



plains and level plateaux, where the extensive swamps 

 he delights in can be found. The very different 

 structure of their hoofs would suffice of itself to in- 

 dicate this, those of the buffalo being broad and platter- 

 like, to support him on soft ground ; while those of the 

 bison, who has to pick his way among rocks, are 

 wonderfully small for his size, as neat and game-like 

 and little larger than those of the sambar deer. The 

 buffalo is also much less intolerant of man and his 

 works than the bison, invading the rice cultivation, 

 and often defying all attempts to drive him from the 

 neighbourhood of villages. They are altogether very 

 defiant of man, and, unlike the bison, will generally 

 permit a close approach without any concealment, where 

 they have not been much molested, trusting apparently 

 to their formidable aspect to secure the retreat of the 

 invader, which is usually successful. If the attack be 

 followed up, however, they almost always make off at 

 last, and are then not so easily got at again. The 

 favourite resorts of the buffalo are on the skirts of the 

 lower sal forests, where they run out into the open 

 plain, and between them and the rice cultivation of 

 these regions, in the great open, swampy plains, where 

 long rank grass affords the sort of cover they like. 



Our first introduction to the wild buffalo in this trip 

 was near the high-road between Ejli'piir and Sambalpiir, 

 when B., who had the shot (in stalking a herd together 

 we always arranged by turns who should have the first 

 shot), killed a cow. We followed the herd a long way, 

 and wounded another, but could not bag. For a long 

 time after this we were employed in the forests, and 

 though we saw a few, never had time to hunt them, 

 until, near the Mabanadi river, we came out on a 

 cultivated plain, of which a large bull and four cows 



