CHAPTER XXVI. 



THE BUFFALOES. 



THE GENUS BUBALUS — THE CAPE BUFFALO — DRAYSON'S ACCOUNT — BUFFALO SHOOTING — THE INDIAN 

 BUFFALO — BUFFALO AND TIGER FIGHTS — WILLIAMSON'S ACCOUNT — THE KERABAU — THE DOMES- 

 TICATED BUFFALO — ITS HABITS — ITS USES. 



THE Buffaloes are heavily built animals with a clumsy figure, 

 short, powerful, and thick legs, a short neck, a broad convex 

 forehead, a large bare muzzle, dull malicious-looking eyes, 

 large, broad, hairy ears, and a rather long tufted tail. 



GENUS BUBALUS. 



Of the five species into which the Buffaloes are divided, three are 

 African, ranging over all the continental parts of the Ethiopian region ; 

 one is Indian ; one is domesticated in South Europe and North Africa. 

 The animal is subject to considerable modifications in external aspect, 

 according to the climate, or the particular locality in which it resides ; 

 and has, in consequence, been mentioned under very different means. 

 In all cases, the wild animals are larger and more powerful than the 

 domesticated ones, and in many instances the slightly different shape, 

 and greater or lesser length of the horns, or the skin denuded of hairs 

 have been considered as sufficient evidence of separate species. 



THE CAPE BUFFALO. 



The Cape Buffalo, Bubalas Caffer (Plate XLVI) is formidable for 

 its strength, and terrible in aspect. The heavy bases of the horns, that 

 nearly unite over *he forehead, and under which the little fierce eyes 

 twinkle with sullen rays, give to the creature's countenance an appear- 



