xiv THE BUFFALO 269 



various conditions of localities produce special results in the 

 development and character of animals. 



The buffaloes of Ceylon are the same as those of India, but the 

 horns are very inferior. The horns of all animals in Ceylon are 

 comparatively small, as there is a deficiency of the necessary 

 ingredients in the pasturage for their production ; we therefore 

 see elephants without tusks, and both deer and buffaloes with 

 horns far smaller than those of India belonging to the same species. 



In Ceylon the so-called domestic buffaloes are extremely vicious. 

 In Egypt and Italy they are the reverse, and children are seen 

 mounted upon their backs or driving them to pasture. In China 

 they are equally good-tempered. 



The horns of the Indian buffalo are enormous, and, when 

 measured in the curve from tip to tip, they have been frequently 

 known to exceed 12 feet. 



Like all other wild animals, the buffaloes of India are much 

 reduced in numbers. The modern breechloaders, with increased 

 facilities for communication, which enable Europeans to penetrate 

 without much difficulty to their haunts, threaten to exterminate 

 everything which has been attractive to the hunter, and in another 

 twenty years the game will have disappeared. 



I have myself witnessed the distressing change in many 

 localities, which, when I was young, were teeming with wild 

 buffaloes and other animals. People will now hardly credit the 

 fact of their existence. My earliest introduction to the buffalo 

 was at Minneria, Ceylon, in 1845 ; such a creature is now unknown, 

 as the few that remain have left the open plain, and betaken them- 

 selves to distant jungles. 



There was no road to Minneria from 1845 to 1849 except an 

 overgrown footpath for 22 miles from Narlandd, which had to be 

 specially cleared at the traveller's cost when he ventured upon the 

 journey. I can never forget the impressions of my first visit ; 

 we had been cutting our way through jungle in a long day's 

 march, assisted by a number of Singhalese with their sharp bill- 

 hooks (catties), and, oppressed with the sultry heat of the dense 

 bush, we were at length overjoyed when we suddenly emerged 

 upon the beautiful green plain. The grass was about 6 inches 

 high, and the plain, which was irregular in shape, extended for 

 a great distance. I cannot improve upon the description which I 

 gave of this spot in the Rifle and Hound in Ceylon, published 

 many years ago: "At 4 P.M., and 80 miles from Kandy, we 

 emerged from the jungle, and the view of Minneria lake burst 

 upon us, fully repaying us for our day's march. It was a lovely 



