ANiMALS. 547 



black, and compressed, with a bunch of ended hair hanging 

 down between them •, his skin is also harder and thicker, mote 

 black, and less furnished with hair ; his flesh which is hard and 

 blackish, is not only disagreeable to the taste but likewise to the 



species. What forms a species, and what a variety, is, as yet, far from well 

 understood. 



The Bliain of India may be regarded as the true stock of the domestic buf- 

 faloes of southern and western Asia, north Africa, and eastern Europe 

 Little doubt can be raised, that in India that animal was Cr.t subdued, per- 

 haps, by means of the intellitrence and powers of the elephant, who alono 

 could compel it to subjection ; from thence, commerce or remote military 

 expeditions seem to have introduced it into Tartary and eastern Persia, till 

 by either of these means the domestic buffalo was found on the shores of the 

 Caspian. Here they resided at the time of the Macedonian invasion, though 

 the Tartars seem to have used their busan as beasts of burden, at least, as 

 early, and about that period, or soon after, to have led them to the banks of 

 the Tereck. They were found by the Mahomedan Arabs in Persia, and dur- 

 ing their wars brought westward into Syria, and Egypt. Baron Cuvier, with 

 his accustomed research, proves the pilgrims and writers concerning Pales- 

 tine to have noticed them by the name of Buflus, early in the eighth cen- 

 tury. 



The stature of the buffalo varies according to the circumstances of food 

 and climate. The Hungarian and Italian are about eight feet and a half long, 

 by five feet at the shoulders ; the horns are directed sideways, compressed, 

 with a ridge in front, reclining towards the neck and the tips turned up, 

 placed at a great distance from each other, with a convex forehead between 

 them ; the mamm» of the male placed in a transverse line ; the hair scattered, 

 coarse, and black, and the tail long, terminated by a tuft ; the hide is of a 

 purplish black, in India almost naked, in Egypt, sometimes totoUy without 

 hair, and in tlie Indian Archipelago the anterior half is occasicmally covered 

 with long hair, and the posterior naked ; it varies also to rufous, and white 

 occurs in some breeds. 



It is an animal at all times of very doubtful docility, with a sombre malig- 

 nant eye, active, daring, swift, and persevering when excited ; dull, slow, 

 wallowing in his ordinary state ; naturally preferring tiats and swampy soil ; 

 possessed of great strength for burden and for the plough, t«o being equal iu 

 power to four horses: but furnishinglittle, and indifferent milk and worse flesh -. 

 the hide and horns are alone valuable. In India, however, they furnish more 

 milk from which a kind of liquid butter is made, well known by the name 

 of ghee. The domestic breed in Bengal, is not more than four feet and a 

 half high, and used to labour ; but for burden, care must be taken that the 

 goods tliey carry do not suffer from wet, their propensity to lie down in 

 water being invincible ; wood and bricks are, therefore, the most common 

 lead. The largest of the wild breed, are used by the native princes to sup- 

 ply the place of Arnecs, and fight with tigers iu public shows. With the 

 natives especially the Guallah.ca-stor herdsmen, they are docile : theylrideon 

 their favourites, and spend the night with them in the midst of jiuigles and 

 Jorosts, without fear of wild bciusts. When driveu along the herds kvty 



