AFRICAN BUFFALO 79 



long black fringes of softer hair. The tassel at the end of the tail, 

 though well developed, is perhaps not so thick or so wavy as in 

 ordinary domesticated cattle. With age both bulls and cows gradu- 

 ally lose their coats, at first along the back behind the shoulders, after 

 which the baldness spreads till very old animals become almost as 

 devoid of hair as wart-hogs, and finally lose both the fringes on the 

 ears and the tassel at the end of the tail. 



" In districts suitable to their habits, where pasture is abundant, 

 buffaloes used to consort in herds of from 50 to 200 or 300 individuals, 

 and I once, on the banks of the Chobi, saw at least 1000 together, 

 although on that occasion I believe that several herds had joined 

 company, and were moving up the river together in search of grass. 



" Old bulls that have been driven from the herds by younger and 

 more vigorous males either live alone, or in twos and threes, though 

 in parts of the country where buffaloes are very numerous five or six 

 old bulls will often associate, and I once saw fifteen, although such a 

 concourse is unusual. In hot weather buffaloes drink twice a day, 

 early in the morning, and again late in the afternoon. In the cool 

 of the evening and during the early part of the night they feed on 

 grass and young reeds, then lie down till after midnight, rising to feed 

 again towards morning. Soon after daylight they again drink, and 

 then continue grazing until the sun begins to get warm, when they 

 retire into thickets or forest where they can obtain shelter from the 

 sun, and there lie and rest till late in the afternoon. In the cold 

 weather they only drink once a day, usually just after dark. Where 

 they have not been molested, buffaloes will often lie all day long in 

 the shade of trees growing immediately on the banks of the river they 

 frequent ; but when persecuted they retire to the densest thickets, and 

 although never going far from water, will often walk, after drinking, 

 several miles in the bush, parallel with the course of a river, before 

 lying down to rest for the day. Where they have never been hunted, 

 buffaloes are unsuspicious of danger and easy to approach against the 

 wind. Old bulls, indeed, will often almost refuse to get out of the 

 way, but lie or stand gazing unconcernedly at the sight of a human 

 being, until he is within 50 yards of them, while possibly one or other 

 of a party of four or five will trot a few paces forwards to get a better 

 view. I have, however, never known a buffalo bull to charge under 

 such circumstances. If you keep walking steadily towards them, 

 sooner or later one will turn and trot off sideways with its nose in the 

 air, and then break into a heavy gallop, when the rest will follow. 



" When much persecuted, buffaloes soon become wary, and will 



