606 



BOS. 



and their being obliged to shift for and defend them- 

 selves from very formidable enemies, they must be 

 much more ferocious than those which are under the 

 protection of men, and have their spirit broken bv 

 labour. The white cattle of Tuscany are a very 

 mild race in their pastures on the Arno, but their 

 manners are very different in those places of this 

 country where the remnants are left in a wild state. 

 These have no doubt degenerated in size as much as 

 they have increased in spirit, while the wild buffaloes 

 of India are superior to the tamed ones in both 

 respects ; but the reason of the difference as to the 

 size obviously is, that in the one case, the running 

 wild, and in the other, the being domesticated, have 

 been attended by a change of locality, of food, or of 

 both, unfavourable to the animals. 



Some notion of the general form and appearance 

 of the Indian buffalo may be obtained from the fol- 

 lowing figure. 



Indian. Buffalo. 



The ARNEE, the variety which is found in the 

 humid and luxuriant jungles, to the eastward of the 

 plain of the Ganges, and also in similar pastures in 

 variousparts of the eastern peninsula which peninsula 

 has the advantage of the humidity of two currents of 

 the sea, and is much more fertile than India, the 

 greater part of which is watered only periodically by 

 the monsoons is much larger than that to the west- 

 ward of the Ganges, and it is different in colour, 

 though in animals of this genus colour is not a specific 

 difference, but a difference arising from external 

 causes, and greater exposure and inferior pastures 

 are apt to change the colours of the genus. The 

 height of this variety is said to be sometimes seven 

 feet at the shoulder, and the chest is remarkably 

 square and broad, forming in this respect a striking 

 contrast with the gayal, though the colour of that 

 animal differs, and its size is larger in rich and shady 

 places. The hair upon this animal is said to be 

 rather long, partially shaggy, and of a black colour, 

 but it is so thinly scattered, that the skin, which has 

 the epidermis white, appears through it. The face is 

 broad and square, and the breadth continues with 

 ittle interruption to the muzzle. The horns are 

 truly gigantic, at least six feet long each in the larger 

 specimens. They are wrinkled, triangular in the 

 section, and when the line of the face is perpendicular, 

 they bend outwards, upwards, and slightly forwards, 

 but bend backwards at the tips. These appear very 

 formidable weapons, and they are so in reality to 

 some extent, but certainly not so much so as they 

 appear. They are not offensive weapons for daily 



use, but rather defensive ones ; and those animals, as 

 well as all the horned ones, attack only as the best 

 means of defence. They have no prehensile or tearing 

 organs, like the carnivorous animals, and therefore, 

 unless they can destroy the enemy, or ward off his 

 attack by means of the horns, they must be vanquished. 

 The muzzle in the buffalo is said to be the place at 

 which the more formidable beasts of prey spring, in 

 the same manner as a dog attempts to lay hold of a 

 bull, and thus the horns are so placed, that they act 

 most powerfully in guarding the muzzle. But in the 

 ordinary and peaceful habits of the animals, the horns 

 answer some very important purposes. These animals 

 fend in the close jungles, where eyes are of com- 

 paratively little use ; and though the ears, which are 

 long and funnel-shaped, may be of service in enabling 

 them to avoid hostile animals, or find friendly ones, 

 they can be of no use in guiding a grazing animal to 

 its food. Hence, the sense upon which they have 

 chiefly to depend for their subsistence, is the sense 

 of smell ; and as the scent of their food comes in the 

 uir. ;;nd is not on the surface of the ground, as is the 

 case with that of carnivorous animals which follow 

 their prey upon the scent, they require to carry the 

 nose elevated while they are ranging the jungles. 

 In doing this, the horns act as powerful auxiliaries, 

 as their weight assists in balancing the weight of the 

 head when the line of the face is carried in a hori- 

 zontal position, or rather with the muzzle more ele- 

 vated than the ridge of the forehead. This is the 

 general position of the head while they are walking 

 in all the varieties of the Indian buffalo, whether wild 

 or in a state of domestication. When it is so carried, 

 they have not, of course, a very full or ready use of 

 their eyes, and so, when they are alarmed, and make 

 a halt, in order to have ocular proof of what may be 

 the matter, the elevating of their great horns, espe- 

 cially if there is a herd of them, and they are very 

 frequently in small herds, has a very formidable ap- 

 pearance. 



Their horns are of use to them in another way. 

 They are much in the water, not only for pleasure, 

 when they seek to cool themselves, or wash off the 

 mud in which they have been wallowing, but also for 

 what may be called " business," that isjn crossing the 

 rivers, arid in making use of them for transport from 

 place to place. There are seasonal changes in the 

 pastures of these anknals, even where they are the 

 most favourably situated. The rivers flood when the 

 rains are on the mountains, and when it is dry there 

 they run low. These periodical changes cause a sort 

 of periodical migration of the buffaloes, and in their 

 descents especially they have recourse to the water, 

 and float down apparently at their ease, till they 

 arrive at those places which suit their habits. The 

 manner in which they carry their heads in swimming 

 may be seen by observing those which are repre- 

 sented in the water in the back ground of the figure 

 above given. This aquatic habit is of much value to 

 them when the season requires that they should 

 change their pasture, as neither the places which they 

 frequent, nor their own heavy bodies and short thick 

 legs, are well adapted for long journeys upon land. 



The Arnee, as found in the less humid and produc- 

 tive parts of India, is said to be much shorter than in 

 the eastern jungles, though it is most likely the same 

 animal at least there is not any difference between 

 them that can be considered as absolutely specific. 

 These wild buffaloes of the plains of the Ganges (for 



