404 



BUFFALO. 



As the Buffalo in his domesticated state is, in 

 general, larger and stronger than the Ox, he is 

 employed with advantage in different kinds of la- 

 bour. Buffaloes are made to draw heavy loads, 

 and are commonly directed and restrained by 

 means of a ring passed through the nose. Two 

 Buffaloes yoked, or rather chained, to a cart, are 

 able to draw as much as four strong horses. As 

 they carry their neck and head low, the whole 

 Aveight of their body is employed in drawing ; 

 and their mass much surpasses that of a labouring 

 horse. In its habits the Buffalo is much less 

 cleanly than the Ox ; delighting to wallow in the 

 mud ; andy next to the Hog, may be considered as 

 the dirtiest of domesticated quadrupeds. His 

 voice is deeper, more uncouth and hideous than 

 that of the Bull. The milk of the female Buf- 

 falo is said by some authors to be not so good as 

 that of the Cow, but it is more plentiful, and is 

 used for the purposes of the dairy in the warmer 

 regions. In the sixth supplemental volume of 

 Buffon, it is affirmed that the milk is far superior 

 to cows' milk, not only in taste but colour, and 

 that it makes the most excellent butter, cheese, 

 &c/^ The skin and horns are of more value than 

 all the rest of the animal ; the former being of ex- 

 treme strength and durability, and consequently 



* In fact, such particulars as these must vary greatly, according 

 U) circumstances in different countries, and must depend on the 

 manner of keeping and feeding the animal, as in Cows^ &c. 



