238 
THE AFRICAN BUFFALO. 
mouth, being longer, and somewhat resembling a 
beard. The wither rises liigh, but not sufficiently to 
form a rump. The tail resembles that of the com- 
mon ox, but is much shorter ; and the two spurious 
hoofs are rather longer in proportion. Its horns turn 
outwards and downwards, and their points are re- 
curved upwards. The hitle is much thicker than 
that of the ox, and is much valued by the Colonists 
and Hottentots for its strength. It is of a fierce and 
treaclierous disposition, which, added to its size and 
strength, renders it dangerous to be attacked with- 
out caution, or without the certain means of escape 
at hand.* 
The frame of this animal is strong and powerfully 
made, and the species is at once distinguished by the 
immense mass of horn which defends the forehead. 
According to Lichtenstein, the rib-bones are of such 
extraordinary breadth, that they almost unite with 
one another, so that on the outer side nothing at all 
is seen of the intercostal muscles, f 
The African Buffalo is found in abundance in 
Southern Africa, and stretches along the east coast 
as far to the interior as has been yet explored. In 
the colony of the Cape, it is, however, becoming much 
less plentiful, from the constant waifare kept up 
against it as well as the other wild animals, and tra- 
vellers now may look in vain for any fine specimens 
in the places where they were seen and hunted by 
* Burchell’s Africa, ii. 250. 
+ Lichtenstein’s Tiavels, ii. 276. 
