54 



MAMMALIA. 



f 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 Carey and Marshman's Transl. vol. i. p. 430, 447. 



