MISCELLANEOUS NOTES. 1323 



This explains their seeming lack of connection with the holes when found 

 on dry ground. On deposition also the walls, if any, would tend to col- 

 lapse and quickly assimdate with the surrounding soil. 



Whatever the explanation of these mysterious ridges, however, they, at 

 all events, hear silent witness to the activity of these little rodents when 

 their homes are buried deep in winter snows and show that hibernation is 

 not entirely spent in sleep. 



Kashmir, 1912. H. A. F. MAGEATH, Lt.-Col. 



No. VIT.— THE INDIAN BUFFALO {BUBALUS BUBALLS). 



In the Bellary Gazetteer published in 1904, attention is drawn to the 

 fact that " Many of the buffaloes in the district are peculiar in having 

 a white patch between their horns. " I have noticed that this is also of 

 frequent occurrence in the North Kanara, Mysore and Dharwar districts, 

 the white varying in size from a small patch, to the whole forehead ; 

 more rarely extending over the face. Another curious form not uncom- 

 monly observed is that in which the eyes are of a clear, almost China-blue 

 instead of the usual dark brown. 



In Blanford's " Fauna of British India " the only mention of any colour 

 variety of the domesticated buffalo is " that the legs are occasionally 

 white to the same height as in the Gaur, " while the fact is noted that few 

 of any animals have charged less in captivity than the Indian buffalo. 



It would be interesting to know if this variety with the white forehead 

 is peculiar to the south, or whether it is found throughout India. 



Any one who has been in Java may have noticed the extremely large 

 number of entirely albino buffaloes there, quite 20 per cent, of those on the 

 island. 



The Banting {^Bibos sondaicus) is also very successfully domesticated in 

 Java and Bali where it is indigenous. 



G. C. SHORTRIDGE. 



Camp, Bellary, August 1912. 



[Both the variatioES mentioned by Mr Shortridge are to be seen amongst the 

 dairy buffaloes in Bombay which come chiefly, we believe, from Gujarat, 

 Kathiawar and the Punjab. — Eds ] 



No. Vin.— TSINE {BIBOS SONDAICUS) CONSORTING WITH 

 TAME CATTLE. 



I was greatly interested in Mr. Hauxwell's note in the Journal published 

 in July of a bull Tsine {Bibos sondaicus) consorting with tame cattle. To 

 quote Mr. HauxweU, "it is not an old bull, and it is strange why it should 

 have taken to this solitary life. Can it be that it has been driven out oi 



