THE AFRICAN BUFFALO 225 



Buffaloes, like rhinoceroses, are very often attended by birds 

 (Buphaga erythrorhyncha), when they are much more difficult 

 to stalk than at other times. Besides the rhinoceros bird, 

 buffaloes, particularly when in herds, are often attended by a 

 flock of little egrets (Herodias garzetta), which, like the former, 

 are attracted by the great numbers of ticks on these animals. 

 They do not, however, render the stalking more difficult, as 

 they do not warn the game of the stalker's presence like the 

 rhinoceros bird, but are rather a source of danger to the herd 

 than otherwise, more particularly in bush country, their habit 

 of rising and circling round in the air before again settling being 

 often a means of indicating the position of a herd, which would 

 otherwise have been passed unnoticed ; whilst, should they rise 

 on detecting the sportsman, the buffaloes are so used to these 

 sudden and short flights that the occurrence causes them little 

 or no alarm. 



When single, or in twos and threes, buffaloes are quite as 

 easy to approach as a rhinoceros. 



To kill a buffalo the shoulder shot is the best. This should 

 be rather low down, if anything, below the central lateral line 

 on the body, as the enormously thick neck and the high dorsal 

 ridge are rather apt to deceive the sportsman as to the actual 

 depth of the beast's body, more especially when standing in 

 grass or low bush, so that the legs and lower outline of the 

 body cannot be discerned. Should a beast be standing behind 

 a thick tree or bush, so as to present only its head and neck, 

 a shot in the neck, rather far back to avoid the backward 

 curve of the horns, and about half-way down, would be almost 

 instantly fatal ; but this shot should not be attempted if the 

 beast, although standing broadside on, has its head facing 

 the sportsman, as the near horn will probably be in the way. 

 This reminds me of a curious shot which I once made at a 

 buffalo standing in this position behind a small thorn-tree, 

 which, when I came to measure it, I found to be 1 1 ins. in cir- 

 cumference, and which just covered the best spot for a shot at 

 the shoulder. On getting up to a small bush within seventy 



I. Q 



