£28 Catalogue of Mammalia [<Tct, 



generally applied to it by English sportsmen, it exhibits marked struc- 

 tural differences excluding it from the Bisontine group as defined by Cu- 

 vier. These consist in the plane of the fore-head being " flat and 

 even slightly concave," and in the possession of only 13 pair of ribs. It 

 is not improbable that it will be found to constitute a connecting link 

 between the Bisontine and Taurine groups. The most remarkable cha- 

 racters in the animal are an arched coronal, or convex bony ridge, sur- 

 mounting (he frontal bone, and projecting beyond it so as to make the 

 line from the vertex to the orbit a concave sweep; the continuation of 

 which from the orbit to the muzzle is slightly convex. The other dis- 

 tinctive mark is the prolongation of the spinous processes of the vertebree 

 of the back, from the withers to the loins where they cease abruptly. 

 These processes are 12 in number and their prolongation gives the ani- 

 mal a very extraordinary appearance. 



The largest individual I met with, was killed in an island of the Kala 

 Nuddee in the district of Soonda, in 1827. A noted shikaree, the Potel 

 or head-man of Alloor (a Hubshee or negro descendant of some of the nume- 

 rous African slaves imported in the 15th century by the Mahommedan 

 kings of Beejapoor,and who still exist as a distinct race,in this district), called 

 us at day light and promised to show us one of the animals described by 

 him as a wild buffalo. Crossing the river in a canoe, we struck into the 

 forest and soon came upon a track, which he pronounced to be that of a 

 large bull. On this he proceeded with the steadiness and sagacity of a 

 blood hound, though it was often imperceptible to our eyes. At times 

 "when a doubt caused us to stop, he made a cast round and on recovering 

 the track summoned us to proceed by a loud whistle, or by imitating 

 the cry of the spotted deer, for not a word was spoken,and the most per- 

 fect silence was enjoined. As we advanced he pointed silently to the bro- 

 ken boughs or other marks of the passage of a large animal, and occa- 

 sionally thrust his foot into the recent dung, judging by its warmth of 

 the vicinity of the game. We followed his steps for three miles to the 

 river, then along the banks towards Dandelly, where the animal appear- 

 ed to have passed to the other side. Wading across, we ascended the 

 bank of a small island covered with thick underwood, and some large 

 trees, amongst which it had lain down, about fifteen yards from where we 

 stood. The jungle was so thick that we found it difficult to distinguish 

 more than a great black mass among the underwood. On firing the ani- 

 mal got on his legs, received two balls more, and rushed into the jungle 

 where he became very furious, and we were obliged to shelter ourselves 

 behind the trees, to avoid the repeated charges he made, though one ball 

 through the shoulder which had broken the bone above the elbow, pre- 



