THEBUFFALa jy 



between thefe creatures, that the cow refufes to breed with the buffalo, 

 while it is known to propagate with the bifon, to which it has, in 

 point of form, but very diftant fimilitude. 



The buffalo is by no means fo beautiful as the cow; his figure is* 

 more clumfy and aukward j his air wilder ; and he carries his head 

 lower and nearer the ground j his limbs are lefs flediy, his tail more 

 naked of hair j his body fhorter and thicker j his legs higher; his head 

 fmaller ; his horns fometimes ten feet long, not fo rounds but black and 

 comprefTed, with a bunch of curled hair hanging down between them; his 

 flcin is alfo.harder, thicker, blacker, lefs furnifhed with hair; his flefli 

 is hard, blackifh, difagreeable to the tafte and fmell. The milk of 

 the female much inferior to that of the Cow, but abundant. In the 

 warm countries, cheefe and butter are made of buffalo milk. The 

 leather made of its hide is well known for its thicknefs, foftnefs, and im- 

 penetrability. Being, in general, very much larger and ffronger than thd 

 cow, the buffalo is employed in agriculture ; ufed alfo in drawing bur- 

 thens ; fometimes in carrying them ; being guided by a ring thruft 

 through the nofe* Two buffaloes yoked in a waggon are faid to draw 

 more than four ftrong horfes ; as their heads and necks are naturally 

 bent downward, they are better fitted for the draught, and the whole 

 weight of their bodies is applied to the carriage. 



Wild buffaloes are very dangerous animals, often gore travellers^ 

 and trample them with their feet, until they have mangled the whole 

 body : in woods not equally to be feared as in plains, becaufe in pur* 

 fuit, their large horns become entangled in the branches, which gives 

 time to efcape. There is fcarce any other method of avoiding their 

 purfuit ; they run with great fwiftnefs ; overturn a tree of moderate 

 growth ; and are fuch fwimmers, as to crofs the largeft rivers without 

 difficulty. Like all large animals of the torrid zone, they are very 

 fond of the water ; and, during their purfuit, often plunge in to cool 

 themfelves. 



In Italy, they make the food and riches of the poor. The female 

 produces but one at a time, in the fame manner as the cowj but the 

 cow, as we know, goes nine months ; whereas the buffalo continues 

 pregnant twelve. They are afraid of fire; and, perhaps, in confe- 

 quencc, have an averfion to red colours, that rcfemble the colour of 

 flame : it is faid, that in thofe countries where they are found in plenty, 

 DO perfon dares to drt(i in fcarlcr, 



Thefc 



