1873.] SIR V. BROOKE ON AFRICAN BUFFALOES. 479 



whilst the head represented on the second plate presents scarcely 

 any trace of this remarkable character ; and yet the agreement of the 

 skulls in all particulars precludes the idea of this solitary character 

 representing specific distinction. As a further illustration of the 

 inconstancy of this character, I may mention that Mr. Blyth lately 

 observed at Mr. Jamrach's establishment (from which place Mr 

 Gerrard obtained the skull and horns in my possession) the skull' 

 and horns of a Buffalo, which in all particulars most closely re- 

 sembled the last mentioned of Pel's specimens. Mr. Blyth how 

 ever, notwithstanding numerous superficial differences, perceived im- 

 mediately that this very beautiful specimen, which is now in the 

 British Museum, represented his Bubalus reclinis, and referred it 

 without hesitation to that species. 



The fact of Dr. Baikie's specimens presenting the characters 

 which appear at first sight to separate the Bubalus brachyceros of 

 bray from that species as represented in the Leiden Museum, taken 

 in connexion with the fact that these as well as Pel's specimens 

 were procured in countries intermediate to those which afforded the 

 subjects of Dr. Gray's descriptions of the species, offers strong 

 reasons for the conviction above expressed— namely, that these 

 differences are but sexual. We see, moreover, that any characters 

 of difference presented by Pel's specimens as compared with the 

 type of Bubalus pumilus are bridged over bv the intermediate 

 character of the specimen this evening exhibited. Thus a very 

 reasonable probability is obtained that the Bos pumilus ofTurton 

 and the Bubalus brachyceros of Gray represent but one species— the 

 former the male, the latter the female. 



But we have, I think, still further corroboration of this opinion in 

 the remarks and plates given by M. Du Chaillu in his work on 

 Equatorial Africa (1861). At p. 175 M. Du Chaillu figures and 

 describes the male of the "Niare or Wild Bull" of Equatorial 

 Africa. Both M Du Chaillu's figure and his description of [he 

 horns are so applicable to the specimen on the table (figs. 1 & 2) 

 that one could readily believe it had formed the subject of M 

 JJu Chaillu s figure. Two more plates (pp. 125 & 204) are given 

 in the same work ; and in both these the horns are represented as at 

 p. 1 /5. 1 think it therefore probable that these plates were taken 

 from one specimen, that specimen exhibiting in an extreme a cha- 

 racter which I have shown above to be most inconstant. Dr Gray in 

 1861, m the 'Annals and Magazine of Natural History' (vii p 468 } 

 and in his last catalogue (1872), unfortunately criticises these plates 

 with some severity, but at the same time expresses his decided 

 conviction of the identity of the Niare of Du Chaillu with the 



I- ? V J F e * nt , ral t Afn , Ca and Sierra Leone > u P° n specimens of 

 which his Bubalus brachyceros was founded. In this opinion I 



A?° nC T Wlth Dr ' Gra y> and consider that the fact of M Du 

 Chaillu s description and plates so accurately representing the spe- 

 cimen on the table (which on its part, in a mutual combination of 

 characters, exhibits such decided specific identity both with Pel's 

 specimens and with the original of the Bos pumilus of Turton) 



