THE INDIAN WILD BUFFALO. 43 



In the Natural History Museum at South Kensington there is 

 a head, of which the horns are 5 feet 1\ inches in lengtli, and a 

 single horn measuring 6 feet 6 inches. Such giants are not found 

 now-a-days. 



In Baldwin's " Game of Bengal," p. 139, there is figured the head 

 of a cow-bufFalo which is quite unlike the shape of the cow's horns in 

 the Central Provinces. The buffalo, though by no means so. blood- 

 thirsty and dangerous an animal as he is generally described to be, 

 charges suflBciently often to render his pursuit on foot pleasureably 

 exciting. In fact, I think, he is more likely to charge when un- 

 wounded than any animal I know. When wounded, individuals vary 

 much in character. Some very old solitary bulls I shot never made 

 any show of fight, though in very favourable ground for them ; others 

 charged at once with great determination. If an unwounded bull 

 means business, he will come towards you as soon as he sees you, 

 perhaps, from two hundred yards off ; he comes slowly walking or trot- 

 ting, stopping occasionally to make threatening demonstrations with his 

 horns. You stand your ground, getting behind a tree if one is handy. 

 Sometimes on getting within fifty or sixty yards of you, he will suddenly 

 turn and bolt, but if he does not, he comes on at a good pace with 

 his nose in the air and his horns lying back till he makes his final 

 rush when he lowers his head. Every one must please himself 

 when to fire. I prefer to wait till he is close to, as a shot in the brain 

 is the surest. It is difficult to hit the brain while his head is up. 

 Another thing is that the buffalo dreads the report and smoke of a 

 gun at close quarters, and is very likely turned even if the bullet does 

 not hit the proper place. If a charge is delivered in long grass 

 or dense jungle, you have no time to think of anything, as 

 the bull will not move till you are within a few yards. You hear 

 a crash, see a buffalo all horns almost on you, and have to 

 bang into him without time to put in practice any theories you may 

 have formed to meet such contingencies. A cow with a newly- 

 born calf is a dangerous animal if you happen to pass near where 

 she is, but she is not actuated by any malicious motives. I was 

 sorry once to have to shoot one in self-defence. On another occasion, 

 I was glad to be able to avoid this. As I was walking through the 

 jungle I heard a buffalo bellowing loudly about half a mile off. I had 



