238 THE AFRICAN' BUFFALO. 



mouth, being longer, and somewhat resembling a 

 beard. The wither rises high, but not sufficiently to 

 form a rump. The tail resembles that of the corn* 

 mon ox, but is much shorter ; and the two spurious 

 hoofs are rather longer in proportion. Its horns turn 

 outwards and downwards, and their points are re- 

 curved upwards. The hide is much thicker than 

 that of the ox, and is much valued by the Colonists 

 and Hottentots for its strength. It is of a fierce and 

 treacherous disposition, which, added to its size and 

 strength, renders it dangerous to be attacked with- 

 out caution, or without the certain means of escap( 

 at hand.* 



The frame of this animal is strong and powerfully 

 made, and the species is at once distinguished by the 

 immense mass of horn which defends the forehead. 

 According to Lichtenstein, the rib-bones are of sucn 

 extraordinary breadth, that they almost unite with 

 rnie another, so that on the outer side nothing at all 

 is seen of the intercostal muscles, f 



The African Buffalo is found in abundance in 

 Southern Africa, and stretches along the east coast 

 as far to the interior as has been yet explored. In 

 the colony of the Cape, it is, however, becoming much 

 less plentiful, from the constant warfare kept up 

 against it as well as the other wild animals, and tra- 

 vellers now may look in vain for any fine specimens 

 jtt the places where they were seen and hunted by 



* Burchell's Africa, ii. 250. 



f Lichtenstein's Tiavels, ii. 276. i 



