306 ANECDOTES OF ANIMALS. 



chievous, but it can be tamed. The tails were used by 

 the Mongols and Tartars as standards, and through- 

 out the East are now fitted into ivory handles, and 

 form brushes for driving away the flies. The yaks are 

 dull-looking animals, and make a low grunting noise, 

 causing them to be known in Europe as the grunting 

 cow. They are very useful when domesticated, and 

 yield an abundance of milk. Not many years ago they 

 were objects of mystery ; and those who travelled to 

 collect the curiosities of nature were ordered to ascer- 

 tain their attributes, almost their existence, the tails 

 alone having reached Europe. 



Buffaloes are heavier and clumsier animals than the 

 ox, and are covered with coarser hair. They are very 

 wild and savage, rush upon the tiger, crush, and trample 

 him to death. They delight in those steaming marshes 

 which are pestilential to other beings, and wallow in 

 stagnant water. Their hide is particularly tough, their 

 flesh hard, and their milk delicious. They are some- 

 times trained to be very useful, especially where rivers 

 are apt to be swollen, for they do not fear to breast any 

 torrent, however violent it may be in its course. They 

 are spread over India, China, and various parts of 

 Africa ; have been introduced into Spain and Italy ; and 

 wherever they live, malaria is sure to exist. The Cape 

 Buffalo is said to be more than a match for the lion, 

 who only overcomes him by some cunning stratagem, or 

 springs upon him when he is drinking. If, however, 

 others of the herd come to his assistance, the lion is 

 either vanquished or obliged to decamp. 



' A herd, consisting of seven wild buffaloes, with one 

 calf,was discovered in Hindostan ; and four gentlemen 

 proceeded to hunt them. After having followed them 



