MALAYSIA AND JAVA. 661 



Beef cattle are really not indigenous to any portion of jungle-covered 

 Malaysia ; the buffalo alono finding subsistence therein. But the latter 

 is not used for dairy purposes, and buffalo meat is only eaten, owing to 

 its toughness and unpleasant flavor, by the lowest and poorest classes, 

 chiefly Chinese, when it is eaten at all. But for purposes of heavy 

 draft, such as plowing, cart, or log-hauling, the buffalo, being a ponder- 

 ous and most powerful beast, much larger and heavier than our largest 

 American ox, is unexcelled in point of strength and power of endurance; 

 but mud-holes, fords, swamps, or creeks, places where he can wallow and 

 bathe, are necessary for this animal. For the cultivation of rice he is 

 therefore invaluable to the natives. He must be unhitched when he 

 gets restive, this being a sign that he wants to bathe. If this is not 

 done he becomes, as a rule, dangerous. 



I have seen buffalos in size and weight about half way between a 

 very large ox and an average elephant. 



They have very heavy, ponderous, andpeculiar horns, resembling some- 

 what those of the western American buffalo, only very much larger. 

 They are a sort of mouse-colored (as a chief color), from pinkish blue to 

 dark in shade, and have an exceeding thin coating of hair (if any at 

 all), the tail (bushy at the end), ears, and head excepted. They are very 

 numerous in the rice-growing districts in Siam, and everywhere met 

 with where there are native settlements on the peninsula of Malacca 

 and all through Malaysia, and at Penang more than at Singapore. 



They are unsafe, often very dangerous and vicious. The Malays and 

 natives of Siam, who breed them almost alone, understand how to manage 

 and work them. 



In the jungles of the Malayan peninsula there is a wild species, ex- 

 ceedingly dangerous, going in herds. 



The buffalo (really known as the "Water Buffalo") I believe could not 

 live, or not live long, outside of hot, moist, and swampy countries; he 

 must have mud and water, and for that reason alone it would be ex 

 tremely difficult to bring him over a great sea distance. 



A. G. STUDEE, 



Consul. 



UNITED STATES CONSULATE, 



Singapore, November 9, 1883. 



THE JAVA BUFFALO. 



EEPORT LY CONSUL HATFIELD. 



I have to acknowledge the receipt of circular relative to breeding' 

 foreign cattle in the United States. 



There is, however, very little, if any, information of interest bearing 

 upon this important question procurable here, and but one kind of cattle 

 that could be imported, if at all, into the United States ; even then, the 

 South would, for climatic reasons, have to be selected. * * 



I refer here to the Java Buffalo, an animal well-nigh indispensable 

 to the native, a beast of burden when alive, and furnishing food, hides, 

 and bone when slaughtered. 



I am very sorry to say that, after having tried to get from more than 

 one authority such data as desired on the second page of your circular, 

 I find it not procurable, nor does it seem that any bureau, department, 

 or private party can supply the same. 



