220 THE OX. 



and cars, he drags them through miry tracks, swamps, and 

 shallow rivers, with a force which no other animal but the 

 Elephant could exert, and performs tasks of continued labour, 

 under which the strongest horses and bullocks would sink 

 down and die. His pace, however, is measured and slow, 

 and unless he is cooled and largely supplied with water, he 

 becomes feeble, and subject to mortal diseases. He may be 

 termed the Camel of a country of marshes, but he would 

 perish under the toils and thirst of an arid country. Though 

 retaining, in the state of servitude, the sullen aspect and sus- 

 picious character which are natural to him, he yet can be re- 

 duced to complete subjection. He is managed by a ring, or 

 simply by a rope, passed through the cartilage of his nose. 

 Much of his acquired docility depends upon education and 

 treatment. In Eastern countries, where he is used with 

 gentleness, and carefully instructed, he manifests an intelli- 

 gence in which no other oxen surpass him, and becomes so 

 gentle, that he may be 'guided by a child in all the labours of 

 the field. 



The flesh of the Buffalo is hard and coarse, and could not 

 be endured in countries where a value is set upon delicate 

 animal food. His skin is esteemed for its thickness and dura- 

 bility, surpassing greatly in this respect the hide of the Ox. 

 It is so tough that it is used for defensive armour by the 

 Javanese and other people of the Indian islands. The milk 

 of the female is nutritive and well-tasted ; but she yields it in 

 smaller quantity than the common cows of Europe, and be- 

 comes sooner dry when separated from her young, for whom 

 she manifests the strongest affection. 



The Buffalo is extensively domesticated in India, Siam, 

 China, and all the warmer countries of the East. He extends 

 westward through Persia and Arabia to the shores of the 

 Red Sea and the Hellespont. He spreads from Egypt along 

 the southern coasts of the Mediterranean. He is found in 

 Greece and the islands of the Archipelago, in Spain, Italy, 

 Hungary, and in part of the Russian dominions in Europe. 



