EXISTING KINDS OF WILD CATTLE 245 
become almost devoid of hair, and finally lose the 
fringes on the ears and the tail-tuft. In districts 
suitable to their habits, where pasture is abundant, 
buffaloes formerly consorted in herds of from 50 to 
200 or 300 individuals, or even more. 
Old bulls driven from the herds by younger and 
more vigorous males either live alone, or in twos and 
threes, although in districts where buffaloes are very 
numerous five or six of these bulls often associate. 
In hot weather buffaloes drink twice a day, early in 
the morning, and again late in the afternoon. In 
the cool of the evening and during the early part of 
the night they feed on grass and young reeds, then 
lie down till after midnight, rising to feed again 
towards morning. Soon after daylight they again 
drink, and then continue grazing until the sun gets 
hot, when they retire into thickets or forest to obtain 
shelter, and rest till late in the afternoon. In cold 
weather they drink once a day, usually just after 
dark. When undisturbed, buffaloes often lie all day 
long in the shade of trees on the banks of rivers ; but 
when persecuted they retire to the densest thickets, 
and although never going far from water, often walk, 
after drinking, several miles in the bush, parallel 
with the course of a river, before lying down to rest. 
Where they have never been hunted, buffaloes are 
unsuspicious of danger and easy to approach against 
the wind. Old bulls, indeed, often almost refuse to 
get out of the way, but lie down or gaze uncon- 
cernedly at the sight of a human being, until he is 
within 50 yards, when one or two of a party of four 
or five may trot a few paces forwards to get a better 
view. I have never knov/n bulls to charge under such 
circumstances. If you walk towards them, one will 
