other hand, Messrs. Nicolls and Eglington state that the reputation of the
animal for ferocity has been much exaggerated, and that when disturbed
it generally prefers to seek safety in flight rather than to initiate an attack.
They admit, however, that on occasions a bull that has not previously been
wounded will make an unprovoked charge, even in the open ; and they
are in accord with other writers as to the danger of following a wounded
bull in thick covert. Mr. Jackson mentions the extreme caution always
necessary in buffalo-shooting, and recommends the sportsman to get within
such a distance as to ensure killing or disabling his quarry at the first shot.
A buffalo when charging rushes forward with its muzzle held nearly
straight out and its forehead almost horizontal ; and even when within
striking distance the head is not lowered, but turned to one side, and the
foe knocked down or gored by a sidewayfiweep of the massive horns.
This attitude is1'shown in the central figure in the well-known illustration
in Livingstone’s Missionary Travels, although a second individual in the
same plate is. depicted with the head lowered ; and in all the animal^
the tail is represented as elevated instead o f held straight out.
Like the rhinoceroses, buffaloes are frequently attended by the so-called
rhmoceftflpirdfèiand egrets, which perch on their broad backs for the
purpose of feeding on the insects swarming around them ; and when thus
attended they are much more difficult of approach than when alone.
Buffalo are seldom i f ever found far away from water, and they are in the
habit of refreshing themselves with a bath both before and after grazing;
The calves, of which but one is produced at a birth, are born in the
summer months from January to March ; and for the first few days after
their appearance in the world are securely hidden among tall grass by the
cows, who at such times separate themselves from the herds to remain in
the neighbourhood of their offspring and attend to their periodical wants.
During the pairing season frequent fights take place among the old bulls.
Next to man, the greatest foe of the buffalo is the lion ; and although a
single lion would probably be unable to pull down unaided an old bull in
the prime of his strength, one Instance at least is on record where three of
the felines have combined forces to effect their object.
b. A b y s s in ia n , or B rown R a c S —B ofeipAFFER . * quinoctialis
Bubalus^maffer cequinoctialis, Blyth, I ’roc. Zoo/. Soc. 1866, p. 371 >
Pechuel-Loesche, Zool. Ja h rb . Syst. vo!. iii. p. 7 13 , P^- xxv*i- (188*8).
Bubalas■ pumilus orientalis, Brooke, Zool. Soc. 18731 P- 4® 3>P^ '
Fig> i s B E M M d h o r t fo f Abyssinian B uffalM (Rlwland Ward, B ig G a ljj
Bubalusasquinoctialis,Brooke, PnS-iSfa?/. Soc, 1875, p. 437 ; Pousargues,
Ann. Sci. Nat. ser. 7, vol. iv. p. 87 (18.97).
b S eequinoxialis, I I uct. Bulls Soc. Acclim. Paris, yoL xxxviii. p. 337
BmmntralisT Ward, ReMds^ o f Big Game, p. 265 (1896), Gray,
1
Characters.—Size smaller than in the preceding, the height at the
shoulder being about 4 feet. Hair coarse, and often somewhat .scanty, longest
along the ridge of the bacjland under surface of the head. General colour
uniform blackish or tawny-brownylslightly tinged with rufous on the sides