ORDER 11UAIINANTIA. 381 



Paul Warnefried, surnamed Diaconus, fixes the appearance 

 of Buffaloes in Italy in the reign of Aigilulf, or the close of 

 the sixth century, that is in the year 596*; but we may 

 reasonably look for their appearance in the east of Europe 

 to an earlier date. If the myriads of Attila's forces drawn 

 out of Eastern and Central Asia, were supported by droves 

 of cattle bearing grain (buckweed), as is still done with 

 buffaloes in common trade, and by the Nomad equestrian 

 nations, who lead or follow these animals in their native 

 regions, there is no reason for us to conclude that the Ara- 

 chosian Buffalo was not in their herds ; or if it could 

 be proved that the power of the Huns did not extend into 

 the northern provinces of Persia, or Chorasmia, the Abars 

 and Bulgarians f may be regarded as the conductors of 

 that species to the valley of the Danube, Thrace, and Illy- 

 ricum. This was probably during the reign of Marcian, 

 or about 453, and the posterior introduction of the ani- 

 mals into Italy, might result from causes not connected with 

 the migrations of barbarians. 



In Syria and Egypt, they seem not to have been known 

 till after the Arabian conquest of Persia, and their domes- 

 tication, originating in China or India, is probably far 

 posterior to that of the other species. These two suppo- 

 sitions appear borne out by facts and circumstances, and 

 account for the silence of the Greek writers of the time 

 of Alexander, the ignorance of the old Roman authors, 

 their misapplication of its name to the Urus, and the 

 almost sudden abundance of the species when the Upper 

 Asiatic and the Tartarian tribes had invaded Southern 

 Asia on the one side, and Eastern Europe on the other. 



* Tunc, (A.D. 596.) primum, Bubali, in Italiam delati, Italiae, 

 populis miracula fuere. — Paul Warnef. 1. iv. c. 2. 



t Here the very name of Bulgar, seems to be a descriptive 

 epithet of a nation of Buffalo drivers, or Guullahs, as they would 

 be termed in India. 



