COMMON BUFFALO.] CATTLE, ATs'D THEIE VARIETIES. 



[cape buffalo. 



of the Po, the Tanaro, the Ticino, or of 

 some other rivers or lakes. In every part of 

 Italy, but especially in the south, buffaloes are 

 used as beasts of burden, and their strength 

 and perseverance render them available in 

 many emergencies when oxen or horses would 

 fail. In some of the marshy plains of Calabria, 

 communication would be almost impracticable 

 were it not for the buffalo. There are not 

 only morasses, swamps, and bogs in every 

 direction, but rivers, suddenly swollen to tor- 

 rents in rainy weather, and unprovided with 

 bridges of any sort, frequently occur. Here 

 horses, mules, or oxen are useless ; but a pair 

 of good buffaloes, working chest-deep in the 

 mud, will, slowly indeed, but surely, drag a large 

 carro, with its goods or passengers, through 

 them. Yoked to a high cart, with wheels of 

 prodigious diameter, they will fearlessly take 

 to the swollen torrent, and, provided the water 

 does not entirely cover them, drag it safely to 

 the opposite bank. On the great plain of 

 Apulia the buffalo is the ordinary beast of 

 draught ; and, at the annual fair, held at Foggia 

 at the end of May, immense droves of almost 

 wild buffaloes are brought to the town for sale. 

 Fearful accidents occasionally happen, enraged 

 animals breaking from the dense mass in spite 

 of all the exertions of the buffalari, and rushing 

 upon some object of their vengeance, whom 

 they strike down and trample to death. It is 

 dangerous to over-work or irritate the buffalo ; 

 and instances are known in which, when re- 

 leased by the brutal driver from the cart, they 

 have turned iustanLly upon him, and killed him 

 before any assistance could be rendered. 



The buffalo, as well as the bull, is baited 

 in the amphitheatres of Italy. One kind of 

 sport with the buffalo is called La Botta. A 

 large tube, made of wicker-work or other 

 flexible materials, well wadded without and 

 within, and open at both ends — looking, in 

 short, like a cask or butt (whence its name) 

 — with the ends stove in, is rolled across the 

 arena. Presently a man creeps into this botta, 

 and then, lifting it up on end, rises on his feet 

 and begins to move, with his head peeping 

 above the cask towards the buffiilo ; which, at 

 first, stares, bewildered at the sight, and then 

 runs and upsets the novel object. In this 

 game the man must be careful, when the charge 

 is made, to draw in his head and legs, and keep 

 G21. 



himself entirely covered, like a tortoise in its 

 shell. The buffalo, seeing that the botta no 

 longer moves, kicks it, butts at it for a while, 

 causing it to roll along, aiid then leaves it; but 

 presently the cask is again raised on end, and 

 moved by the man towards the beast. This 

 trick could not be played with the Toro Vac- 

 cine, the sharp and strong horns of which, be- 

 ing better placed for attack than the buffalo's, 

 would pierce the cask through and through. 

 The attack of the buffalo in the arena is more 

 dangerous than that of the bull ; and, in his 

 rage, when he has missed his tormentor, he 

 often strikes the wall furiously with his head 

 and horns, making fragments of stone fly in all 

 directions, apparently without suffering any 

 injury from the violence of the shock. 



THE CAPE BUFFALO. 



This ferocious animal {Bos Caffer) is a native 

 of Southern Africa, associating generally in 

 troops, and frequenting the watered glens and 

 ravines among the hills. Like the common buf- 

 falo, it delights to wallow in pools or swamps, 

 where it sometimes passes the greater part of 

 the day. Its temper is depicted in its lower- 

 ing eye, and the malevolent expression of the 

 countenance, to which the position of the horns 

 overshadowing its fiery optics, not a little con- 

 tributes. These weapons form at their base a 

 solid rugged mass, covering the forehead, from 

 which they bend downwards, and somewhat 

 outwards, gradually diminishing to the points, 

 which suddenly take an upward curve. The 

 distance between the points of the horns is 

 frequently five feet ; but the rugose,' massive 

 base of each is in contact, forming an impene- 

 trable helmet. Their colour is black. The ears 

 are a foot in length, pendent, and, in a great 

 measure, defended by the horns ; yet it is ob- 

 served that they are always torn and jagged, 

 either from the wounds received in their com- 

 bats with each other, or from the laceration of 

 thorns and spines, the animals continually 

 forcing their way through the dense thickets. 

 Though not taller than an ordinary ox, the 

 Cape buftalo is a far stouter, heavier, and more 

 powerful beast. Its limbs are short and thick ; 

 its body bulky, and its head ponderous. The 

 hide is thick and tough, and sparingly covered 

 with harsh blackish hairs ; those on the under 

 lip, and about the corners of the mouth, being 



