198 
THE GIRAFFE—CAMEL—BUFFALO 
approached with the greatest caution. He will almost invariably 
charge a man on sighting or scenting him, and as his eyes are very 
good and his hide so thick that a bullet must be very well placed to 
stop one, the wise hunter sees to it that he is within reach of a tree 
which can be quickly climbed before interfering with even a single 
buffalo. The charge of a herd is simply irresistible and actually car¬ 
ries all before it. Even small trees offer no opposition, and they go 
through the jungle like a traction engine. 
The full grown male stands about five feet six to eight inches 
high at the shoulders and is upwards of twelve feet in extreme length. 
His whole structure is very powerful, with a short neck and ponderous 
body, deep chested and mounted on short solid legs terminating in a 
divided hoof. The back is straight and hunchless and the head is 
short and small in proportion to the animal’s bulk. It seems odd that 
the buffalo should be able to attain such high speed with the short legs 
nature has endowed him with, but one has only to witness one buffalo 
charge to be convinced of his great speed forever after. 
The buffalo’s eyes are a very good indication of his character. 
They are small and sinister, overshadowed by rough and ponderous 
dark colored horns, nearly in contact at the base, spreading hori¬ 
zontally, and turned upwards and inwards at the tips, which measure 
from four to five feet between. The hide is bluish purple, black and 
bare with the exception of a few bristles. The muzzle is square and 
moist, shaped like that of the ox. The female is like the male, but 
smaller. They inhabit the plains and forests of the interior in large 
herds. 
