BUFFALO* 
30 5 
With the Mongals, and with most of the other 
eastern nations, the cow is an object of worship ; 
and, accordingly, this animal is often respectfully 
mentioned in their sacred books* 
Buffalo. 
The buffalo is considerably larger and stronger 
than the ox. His horns extend for a considerable 
length in an horizontal direction from their bases, 
and then bend upwards ; they are not round, but 
flattened ; and on one side sharp. His skin is 
black ; his hair thin and short ; his tail bare ; 
and his forehead adorned with a tuft of curling 
hair. The body of the buffalo is thicker and 
shorter, his legs longer, and his head smaller in 
proportion to the size of his body, than that of 
the ox ; his ears are also larger, and his skin 
thicker and harder. His eyes are white ; his nose 
broad and square ; and he has no dewlap. His 
body is of a square form ; his tail shorter and 
more slender than that of our common cattle. The 
horns of these animals are sometimes amazingly 
large. In the British Museum there is one six 
feet six inches long, weighing twenty-one pounds, 
and sufficiently capacious to hold five quarts. 
The buffalo exists both in a tame and a wild 
state. The wild buffalo is very fierce and dan- 
gerous, if attacked. He is afraid of fire, and 
even provoked at the sight of any thing red-co- 
loured. He delights to wallow in mud, is fond 
of the banks of rivers, and is an excellent swim- 
mer. 
Even the tame buffalo is a violent and untract- 
able animal ; next to the hog, the dirtiest of do- 
mestic’animals ; ungraceful in his appearance, and 
awkward in his motions. His voice is deeper and 
¥QLo II. e r 
