1875.] SIR VICTOR BROOKE ON AFRICAN BUFFALOES. 457 
BuBALUS ZQUINOCTIALIS. 
1866. Bubalus caffer, var. equinoctialis, Blyth, P. Z. S. p. 371, 
figs. 1 & la. 
1872. Bubalus centralis, Gray, Cat. Rum. Mamm. Brit. Mus. 
alal: 
4 1873. Bubalus pumilus b. stirps orientalis, Brooke, P. Z. 8. pp. 
480, 483, pl. xlii. 
Hair coarse and scanty, longest along the ridge of the back and 
under surface of the head, general colour of the entire animal uniform 
blackish brown, slightly tinged with rufous on the sides and flanks. 
Tail bare, terminal tuft black. Ear-conches fringed with long brown 
hair, longest in females. Horns short, not greatly exceeding the 
skull in length, separate at their bases, which are very much flattened, 
spreading almost horizontally outwards, and retreating but slightly 
from the plane of the eyes. Height at the shoulder 50". 
General range. North-eastern Africa. 
Typical specimens of Bubalus equinoctialis may be distinguished 
from typical specimens of Bubalus caffer :— 
1. By the smaller size of the former. 
2. Adult specimens of Budalus caffer are much blacker than simi- 
lar specimens of Bubalus equinoctialis. 
3. The horns of Bubalus equinoctialis are flattened at the base 
and short ; those of Bubalus caffer are boldly convex and of great 
size. 
4. In the very different direction of the horns in the two species, 
BuBaus CAFFER (Sparm.). 
Hair scanty, general colour of the entire animal black. Horns 
very large, their length exceeding twice that of the skull, declining 
greatly from the horizontal and dipping boldly downwards and back- 
wards ; their basal anterior surfaces raised into immense convex 
bosses. Height at the shoulder about 59". 
General range. Africa south of the Equator. 
Conclusion. 
In conclusion I would simply say that although for the present it 
seems to me decidedly advisable to regard the three forms of African 
Buffaloes as distinct species, each known by a separate name, I am fully 
aware of the slender basis upon which their distinctive characteristics 
rest. I have, indeed, already seen specimens of Buffaloes from the 
Upper Zambesi of strikingly intermediate characters between Bubalus 
caffer and Bubalus equinoctialis. Between this latter form and 
Bubalus pumilus the difference of external characters appears to 
signify a wider breach ; but that these superficial differences may be 
found deceptive is, I think, rendered probable by the very remarkable 
gradation of characters exhibited in a large series of skulls, the gra- 
dation of characters taking place more or less step by step with the 
gradual spread of the animals over their geographical range. 
