BUF 
The Buffalo is by no means fo beautiful a crea- 
ture as the cow. It's figure is more clumfy and auk- 
Vvardj it's air is more wild, and it carries it's head 
fiearer the ground; it's limbs are riot fo flefhy, nor is 
it's tail fo well covered with hair. It's body is fnorter 
and thicker; it's legs are higher; it's head isfmaller; 
it's horns are compreiTed, one lide being fharp, and 
a tuft of hair hanging down between them ; it's flcin 
is alfo harder, thicker, blacker, and more deftitute 
of hair; and it's flefh, which is hard and blackifh, 
is not only difagreeable to the tafei but alfo to the 
fmell. The milk of the fem.ale, though produced 
in great abundance, is by no means fo good as that 
of the cow. However, in warm climates, the great- 
eft part of the butter and clieefe is made of the 
fnilk of the Buffalo. The veal of the BuffaiO is 
fcarcely better food than the beef; and, in ihort, 
it's hide, which is well known for it's foftnefs, 
thicknefs, and impenetrability, is the m.oft valuable 
produftion of that creature. 
Buffaloes poffefs a very cgnfiderable degree of 
ftrength; and are accordingly employed in agricul- 
ture, and in drawing and carrying burdens, being 
guided by rings thrufi: through their nofes : and it 
is faid that two of them., when yoked together, are 
capable of drawing more than four Itrong horfes. 
From the fize of the Buffalo, (in which it is infe- 
rior only to the elephant, the rhinoceros, or the hip- 
popotam.os) it may naturally be Concluded, that 
it is a native of the warmer climates; and accord- 
ingly v/e find this animal wild in many parts of In- 
dia, and alfo tame wherever the natives have oc- 
cafion for it's fervices. Wild Buffaloes are very 
formidable animals; fom.etimes goring travellers to 
death, and afterwards trampling on and mangling 
their bodies in a ffiocking manner : however, they 
are lefs to be dreaded in the vv'oods than in the 
plains; becaufe, from the violence of their purfuit, 
their large horns are frequently entangled in the 
branches of trees, fo that fufficient time is afforded 
the traveller to make his efcape. There is, in- 
deed, fcarcely any other probability of avoiding 
them: for they are extremely fwift; and fuch ex- 
cellent fwimmers, that they crofs the largeft rivers 
with the greateft facility. Like all other ani- 
mals of the torrid zone, they are very fond of the 
'water; and, even in the midft of their purfuits, fre- 
quently plunge into that element, for the purpofe 
of Cooling themfelves. 
The negroes of Guinea, as well as the Indians 
of Malabar, (in which countries there are vaft 
numbers of Buffaloes) greatly delight in hunting 
and deftroylng them. They never attempt to face 
thefe animals; but ufually climb trees, from 
whence they fiioot at them ; nor do they venture 
todefcend till they have effeduallydifpatchedthem. 
However, v/hen tamed, no animals can be more 
patient and humble, nor go through domeftic 
drudgeries with greater perfeverance. 
Though Buffaloes are chiefly found in the torrid 
zone, they are neverthelefs bred in feveral parts of 
Europe; particularly in Italy, into which country 
they were introduced during the reign of Agilulf, 
King of the Lombards, berv^^een the years 591 and 
6t6. They are faid to be found wild in Apulia; 
and to be very common, in hot weather, on the 
fea-Hiore between Manfredonia and Barletta. 
They groAV to an enormous fize, being twice 
the fize of our largeft oxen ; from v/hich circum- 
ftance they are by fome called taurelephantes. 
In the Britilh Mufeum there is a pair of horns, 
probably of this kind ; one of which is fix feet fix 
BUF 
inches and a half long, and it's cavity -is capable of 
containing five quarts of water: but Lobo men- 
tions fome which werefvifficiently capacious to con- 
tain near three gallons. 
Ariftotle defcribes thefe animals, with abundant 
precifion, under the appellation of wild oxen, 
among the arachots; notwithftanding which, Be- 
lon and Buffon affirm, that they were totally un- 
known to that philofopher. 
The female Buffaloes, like cows, produce but 
one at a time. But they are very different in their 
periods of geftation : the cow is well known to go 
but nine months; whereas the Buffalo goes twelve. 
The Buffalo, indeed, forms a diftinft kind, and 
never mixes with the cov/, the bifon, crthe urus: it 
manifefts a ftrong averfionto the former; and, when 
feeding in the fame patlure, always keeps apart; 
and produces a feparate race in every quarter of 
the globe where it is found. 
All Buffaloes are extremely fearful of fire; and, 
perhaps, in confequence, have an averfion to red 
colours. In general, they are inoffenfive animals, 
if undifturbed; but, when wounded, or even fired 
at, their fury becomes ungovernable : they then 
turn up the ground with their fore-feet ; bellow 
more loudly, as well as more terribly, than the 
bull; and purfue the objefts of their refentment 
with detennined ftiry. It is, however, remarkable, 
that though their' horns are fo very formidable, 
they in general employ their feet more in combat, 
ancl endeavour to trample their enemies to death. 
There are various fpecies of the Buffalo; but na- 
turalifts have fo confounded them with the bona- 
fus, bifon, and urus, that it is extremely difficult to 
refer them to their proper claffes. 
Buffalo, Music. The horns of this fpecies 
are clofely united at their bafes, bending inwards and 
downwards, and turning outwards at their extremi- 
ties; and are about two feet long, and very fharp 
at their points. The head and body are wholly co- 
vered with very long filky hairs of a dark co- 
lour; and the flefli fmells ftrong of mufl-c. This 
animalis found about Churchill River, in Hudfon's 
Jbay, and the river of Seals. It feldoms exceeds 
the deer in height, but is exceffively nimble. The 
breed, hov/ever, may be traced in different parts of 
the continent of America. 
A part of this fpecies has likewife been difco- 
vered in the north of Afia, near the mouth of the 
Oby, in a foffileflrate ; but Vsdiether the animal is a 
native of any part of die Afiatic continent, or was 
only carried thither by chance, has not yet been 
fumciently inveftigated . 
Buffalo, Cape. The length of this fpecies is 
eight feet, and it's height five and a half; the body 
is thick, and die limbs clumfy and ftrong. The 
horns are large at their bafes, bend outwards, and 
then fuddenly turn inwards ; their length along the 
curve is one foot nine inches; and their difrance, 
from tip to tip, is eight inches and a half. The face 
is covered with long rough black hair; the chin, 
the under-fide of the neck, and the dew-lap, are 
furroundedwith long hanging coarfe hair of the lame 
colour; and from the horns, along the top of tlie 
neck, to the imiddle of the back, there is along loofe 
black mane. The body is covered with ftiort dark 
cinereous hair ; the bafe of the tail is cinereous, 
and almoft naked; and the reft is covered with long 
black hair. 
Some of thefe anim.als grov/ to a much larger 
fize than that v/e have defcribed, as is evident from 
a pair of horns in the Leverian Mufeum; the 
length 
