382 CLASS MAMMALIA. 



Hence also the Buffalo is not among the gods of Egypt; but 

 in India, where a similar mythology obtains, we find the 

 Giant Buffalo, Mahish A'Sura, representing the great in- 

 undation of waters, supplying the type which ancient 

 Egypt found in the Hippopotamus, and Durgas on the Lion* 

 like Horus in Egyptian mythology, piercing him with 

 arrows. 



Buffaloes in general are animals of a large stature, re- 

 sembling a bull, low in proportion to their bulk, and sup- 

 ported by strong and solid limbs. The head is large, the 

 forehead, though narrow, is remarkably strong and convex ; 

 the chaffron straight, flat, prolonged, and terminated by a 

 broad muzzle ; the horns being flat or bending laterally, 

 with a certain direction to the rear, and therefore not very 

 applicable in goring ; the ears are rather large, never 

 erect, funnel-shaped ; the eyes large ; they have no hunch 

 on the back, but a small dewlap on the breast. The females 

 bear an udder with four mammae, two of which are some- 

 times not developed; the tail is long and slender; the 

 back rather straight ; the hide black, more or less covered 

 with hair of an ashy or blackish colour ; sometimes it is 

 brown or white. They avoid hills, preferring coarse plants 

 of the forest and such as grow in swampy regions, to those 

 of open plains ; they love to wallow and lie for hours 

 sunk deep in water ; they swim well, or rather float on the 

 surface, and consequently pass the broadest rivers without 

 hesitation ; their gait is heavy, and unwieldy, and they run 

 almost always with the nose horizontal, being principally 

 guided by their sense of smelling ; but this attitude prevents 

 their seeing beneath them, and conceals their horns. In 

 their combats, they usually strike or butt with the forehead, 

 endeavour to lift the opponent en their horns, and when 

 thrown to crush him with their knees : they trample on the 

 body, and their vindictive fury is so lasting, that they will 

 return again and again to glut their vengeance upon the 



