BUFFALO. 405 



well adapted for various purposes in which a strong 

 leather is required ; the latter are of a fine grain, 

 strong, and bear a good polish, and are therefore 

 in much esteem with cutlers and other artificers, 

 for handles, &c. &c. Italy is the country where 

 Buffaloes are at present most common in a do- 

 mesticated state, being used, as in India, both for 

 the dairy and for draught. The district of the 

 Pontine marshes is the spot which may be consi- 

 dered as their principal station. In India this 

 animal is occasionally used for the saddle, as a 

 substitute for the horse. 



The Buffalo is observed to have a kind of 

 musky smell ; a particularity which takes place in 

 a much stronger degree in some others of this 

 genus, Mr, Caetani, in one of his communica- 

 tions to Buffon, observes, that he once entertained 

 an idea of preparing a kind of musk from the 

 dung of the Buffalo ; but the same kind of musky 

 odor is perceivable, though in a smaller degree, 

 even in that of the common Ox, and for this rea- 

 son it forms an ingredient in some of the old per- 

 fumes. 



This animal has been well figured in Jonston, 

 where it is shown in different attitudes. 



According to Mons. Sonnini, it is very much 

 cultivated in Egypt, where it yields plenty of 

 excellent milk, from which butter is made, as 

 well as several kinds of cheese. The Buf- 

 falo," says this author, 'Ms an acquisition of the 

 modern Egyptians, with which their ancestors 

 were unacquainted. It w^as brought over from 



y. II. p. II, £7 



