AN EXPLORATION IN THE FAR BAST 327 



me there that they only cross the river in the rainy season, 



and that they do not penetrate very far to the west, so that 



so shght an exception may fairly be held to prove the 



general rule. So far, then, from the common adage of the 



sportsman being true that the wild bufialo does not extend 



south of the Narbada, the truth is that the animal is unknown 



to the north of it, in the longitude of that river. It has 



been stated that the feral buffaloes of these parts are only 



the descendants of tame ones run wild, an idea that will 



not hold water for a second. They have aU the habits of 



fully wild animals, are extremely numerous in the parts 



they inhabit, and exactly correspond in size and every 



particular with the aboriginally wild buffaloes of eastern 



Bengal. Two varieties are recognised in India, differing 



chiefly in the length and shape of the horns. They have 



been called by Hodgson, B. Mdcroceros, and B. Speiroceros, 



the horns of the former being long, straight, and more 



slender, and of the latter, shorter, thicker, and more curved. 



AU the Central Indian species that I have seen pertain to 



the latter race, the average length of the horns of a mature 



btdl being three-and-a-half to four feet. No animal has 



changed so httle in domestication as the buffalo. In 



appearance the wild animal is extremely like the tame one, 



but fully a third larger, and showing fine, plump, sleek 



condition, instead of the slouching, scraggy appearance 



of the domestic " buff," and possessing the free action and 



air of a denizen of the wilds. I have never heard an 



authentic case of their interbreeding with the domestic 



race, though individuals of the latter sometimes join the 



wild herds, and become difficult to reclaim. In height 



I have never seen a wild buffalo exceed sixteen hands; 



but though thus less in stature than the bison, the buffalo 



stands on much shorter legs, and is altogether a heavier 



built animal, so that in bulk and weight he must a 



good deal exceed the wild bull of the hiUs. They never 



interfere with each other, the bison adhering to hilly tracts, 



while the buffalo is essentially a lover of plains and level 



plateaux, where the extensive swamps he delights in can 



be found. The very different structure of their hoofs 



would suffice of itself to indicate this, those of the buffalo 



