54 
MAMMALIA. 
[Chap. I. 
The Buffalo. — Buffaloes abound in all parts of Cey- 
lon, but they are only to be seen in their native wild- 
ness in the vast solitudes of the northern and eastern 
provinces, where rivers, lagoons, and dilapidated tanks 
abound. In these they delight to immerse themselves, 
till only their heads appear above the surface ; or, en- 
veloped in mud to protect themselves from the assaults 
of insects, they luxuriate in the long sedges by the 
water margins. When the buffalo is browsing, a crow 
will frequently be seen stationed on its back, engaged 
in freeing it from the ticks and other pests which attach 
themselves to its leathery hide, the smooth brown sur- 
face of which, unprotected by hair, shines with an un- 
pleasant polish in the sunlight. When in motion a 
buffalo throws back its clumsy head till the huge horns 
rest on its shoulders, and the nose is presented in a line 
with the eyes. 
The temper of the wild buffalo is morose and uncer- 
tain, and such is its strength and courage that in the 
Hindu epic of the Eamayana its onslaught is compared 
to that of the tiger. 1 It is never quite safe to approach 
them, if disturbed in their pasture or alarmed from 
their repose in the shallow lakes. On such occasions 
they hurry into line, draw up in defensive array, with a 
few of the oldest bulls in advance; and, wheeling in 
circles, their horns clashing with a loud sound as they 
clank them together in their rapid evolutions, they 
prepare for attack ; but generally, after a menacing dis- 
play the herd betake themselves to flight ; then forming 
again at a safer distance, they halt as before, elevating 
their nostrils, and throwing back their heads to take a 
defiant survey of the intruders. The true sportsman 
1 Caeey and Makshman's Transl. vol. i. p. 430, 447. 
