568 



BOS. 



sions are inferior. The fact that the horns of these 

 animals are considerably more developed in the moist 

 and sheltered situations than in the exposed ones, is 

 of some value toward a right understanding' of those 

 large horns which are often dug up in the marshes 

 and woods (or rather in those places which appear to 

 have been once humid and marshy woods) in 

 Britain, and in other countries ; as the fact that the 

 shade and the exposure produce differences in one 

 race, affords a rational presumption that they may do 

 the same in another, especially where the races are 

 so nearly allied to each other in a physiological point 

 of view, as those unquestionably are which belong to 

 the genus box. This view of the subject is so very 

 new that we will not venture a positive opinion upon 

 it ; but it is worthy of serious attention to those who 

 never find a horn of more than ordinary size iti a 

 peat-bog, without at the same time discovering a 

 remain of a race of animals which has become extinct. 

 The deepening of the colour in the cattle of our own 

 country in exposed situations, appears to be part of 

 the same law ; and that the white cattle which have 

 retained their colour for nearly two centuries, in a 

 climate so much more severe than their native one, 

 may be in great part at least owing to their having 

 enjoyed the shelter of the woods. The change of 

 colour in domestic animals is an exceedingly curious 

 subject ; it is one the investigation of which would in 

 all probability throw much light upon the general 

 principles of natural action ; and there are no animals 

 which present so inviting a field for it as the genus bos. 

 But, unfortunately, this is a subject to which so little 

 attention has been paid, that those who may study it 

 must begin at the very beginning. 



The life of the common buffalo is understood to 

 extend, under favourable circumstances, to about 

 four-and-twenty years ; and the female is said to 

 become fertile at four, and even to be so at twelve, 

 bearing only twice every three years during the 

 interim. The period of gestation is not very well 

 ascertained, and it may vary with climate ; but it is 

 reported to last about ten months. At all events 

 buffaloes are not so prolific animals as common oxen, 

 and this is another point of inferiority, in a state of 

 domestication. 



The CAPE BUFFALO (Bus Caffer). We have left 

 ourselves but little space for the notice of this 

 species ; and much is not necessary, as we have 

 already adverted to the principal general points, and 

 endeavoured to show in what direction the general 

 analogies lie. A figure of this species is shown in the 

 next column. 



This animal, as may be seen from the figure, has 

 the most formidable front in the whole genus bos ; 

 and its general aspect is shaggy and formidable. We 

 need not describe the form of the horns, as that is 

 exceedingly well represented in the figure ; but we 

 may mention that they are the most compact, and in 

 their substance the heaviest of all the horns of rumi- 

 nating animals, excepting only some of those of the 

 antelopes. This animal is considerably lower than 

 the Indian buffalo ; but it is firmer, though shorter in 

 the legs, rounder in the body ; and though the beard 

 and short mane give it a rugged appearance, the 

 greater part of the skin is nearly naked of hair, 

 exceedingly tough and firm, and of a black colour. 



This is "by far the most formidable animal of the 

 genus. It has never been tamed, and the males are 

 dangerous to come near; and, as is the case with 



domestic bulls, they are found much more dangerous 

 when they run bellowing by themselves than when 

 they are with the herd. In the dry season they fre- 

 quent the woods and copses by the banks of the 

 streams ; though when the rains have brought vege- 

 tation upon the surface, they often come to the 

 karoos, or plains ; and. in accordance with what has 

 been said of ruminating animals generally, they 

 associate in much greater number.* there than when 

 they are in the woods. When they are thus in 

 numbers on the open pastures, they are not, unless 

 when physiologically affected in the season, so apt 

 to do mischief as when they are met with in the 

 woods. One might perhaps explain this difference 

 by saying that, in the open plains they are much 

 more secure from enemies, as not even the lion 

 himself, formidable as he is in Southern Africa, will 

 venture to attack them there. Ambuscades are what 

 they have most danger from, and it is in the woods 

 that they are in danger from these. 15nt as they have 

 a very acute sense of smell, they can generally keep 

 out of the reach of the enemy ; and unless he has the 

 advantage of the spring and the stratagem, he seeks 

 other prey. All the genus have a dislike to red 

 colours; and in the Cape buffaloes, this dislike is 

 peculiarly strong, and puts them into a state of ex- 

 citement, in which they are probably among the most 

 dangerous of animals. 





Cape BuTaio. 



No attempt has, so far as we are aware, oecn made 

 o tame the Cape buffalo. If that could be accom- 

 plished, he would be a very powerful animal ; and 

 ne is more swift-footed than most of the genus, 

 though he does not take to his speed unless when 

 excited to it by the violence of his passions. There 

 must be a way of dealing with him so as to get the 

 better of his violence, which, bold and daring as it is, 

 is only an instinctive means of self-defence ; but the 

 experiment would, if practised upon the adult animal, 

 3c highly dangerous. 



How far those animals may extend to the north- 

 ward of the Cape is not known, neither are we in 

 possession of data sufficient for settling whether 

 they are or are not the same race as the buffaloes of 



