492 
VEETEBRATA. 
THREE LIOXS ATTACKING A WOUNDED BUFFALO. 
account Laving "been furm'slied by a friend : "Oswcll and I were riding — 15tli September, 1846 
— along the banks of tlie Limpopo, when a water-buck started in front of us. I dismounted, and 
was following it through the jungle, when three buffaloes got up, and after going a little distance, 
stood still, and the nearest bull turned round and looked at me. A ball from the two-ouncer 
crashed into his shoulder, and they all three made off. Oswell and I followed as soon, as I had 
reloaded, and when Ave were in sight of the buffalo, and gaining on him at every stride, three lions 
leaped on the unfortunate brute ; he bellowed most lustily as he kept up a kind of running fight, 
but he was, of course, soon overpowered and pulled down. We had a fine view of the struggle, 
and saw the lions on their hind-legs tearing away with teeth and claws in most ferocious style. 
We crept up within thirty yards, and kneeling down, blazed away at the lions. My rifle was a 
single barrel, and I had no spare gun. One lion fell dead almost 07i the buffalo; he had merely 
time to tm-n toward us, seize a bush with his teeth, and drop dead with the stick in his jaws. The 
second made off immediately, and the third raised his head, coolly looked round for a moment, 
then went on tearing and biting at the carcass as hard as ever. We retired a short distance to 
load, then again advanced and fired. The lion made off, but a ball that he received ought to have 
stopped him, as it went clean through his shoulder-blade. He was followed up and killed after 
having charged several times. Both lions were niiiles. Tt is not often that one bags a brace of 
lions and a bull buffalo in about ten minutes." 
Beside this formidable species, Africa contains another, called by the negroes of Bomou, where 
it is common, the Zamouse ; by the English of Sierra Leone, Bush Cow; by naturalists, £. brachy- 
cerus. It differs essentially from all other species, the forehead being flat, the horns short, thick, 
and depressed at the base ; ears large, and slightly fringed at the edge ; the hair close, short, and 
of a reddish-brown color. It is also entirely destitute of dewlap. This kind of buffalo seems to 
live in considerable herds in the forests of Central and AVestern Africa, and though less ferocious 
than the B. Cafer, is still a large, wild, and powerful species. 
Subgenus OVIBOS : Ovibos. — Of this there is a single species, the Musk Ox, 0. Mosckatus, of 
