The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1890-01-16

body, speak Of the buffalo Of tie Deccan a,
TesOriiBg 20 tanks, mOrasses, lakes streams
and water-boles for protection against insect
pests and excessive beat. IN ike manner Drum
nond, Anderson, Harris. aud other hunters
in the Dark Continent" relate the same
thing Of tie African species. Col Pollok tell.
Is that these animals have similar habit in
Barmah and Assam, and Sir Samuel Baker
found The bufialOes o. Ceylon 10 exhibit like
propensity.
The appellation "waier buffalo" as designa.
tive OF the Central Indian form, is douhly q
msn0mer: faT. IN the first place. il implies q
contrast IN habits Of life between this and oihe!
buialine forms that does not exist; and, sec
cOndly, il gives asa Importance 10 the palustrnc
pr0cligitics Of the animal which facts do not
Justify. Both Indian and African buGalocs
undoubtedly display great liking for mire;
but the order j. distributed over many regions
where the surface is, for the most part. arid
and il is beyond question that this kind Of bab-
itat is not in any way detrimental. Certain
writer such as Maj. Leyeson, do not hesitate
T. use language which conveys the impression
THAI the creature Is
Az AMBITIOUS ANIMAL;
whereas the truth is that it fourishes equally
upon tie spurs aud piateaUs Of the Nilgiris, on
the high plains Of both Asia and Africa in
scrub jungle park and forest country, aud in
the iank-iaHds and moTasses Of Ceylon, Assam
and Burnah.
Naturally, however, so wide q range presup-
poses local variations and without technical
details, il may b. said that numbers Of this
group do vary IN size, shape Of horns, etc, and
in temper and habits Of life.
u viii be- found 10y anyone who consults the
literature u tuis subject that extremely con-
hictiug opinions have been expressed CONCERN
ing the disposition Of the buffalo at large.
IHlE Is the rule no respect 10 all wild beasts.
and ARISES from the assumption that all animals
oi TIE same class arc alike, and therefore that
the lev auy observer has net with accurately
represent tie whole Of their c0ngeners
The eIni-domcsticated buffalo of the Todas
Sc well as that found at Benarcs aud in other
EiiEatioHs where partial reclamation has been
ELECTED IL neither gentle nor particularly
reliable creature-tOi. Pollok asserts that "the
tame herds are never 70 be trusted 3" bat SO
far a accounts Of lis character 60 the bnbalus
IN this state Is only exceptionally savage On
tue other hand, 50 good an authority as Capt.
F0syth informs gs that the wild Indian bnf
1ai0 D. rarely aggressive. There Is a consider
able body Of evidence which entirely contra.
Feiies THIS view. aud IL is rare TO find in the
records 81 African bunting any other opinion
than That this animal Is among the most for
mioable " wild beasts. Col. Pollok also sneak
ingoi the Burmese and Assatnese groups. states
that Ia those countries the buffalo" Is a fierce
a.
ton, aud very hard 10 killD
The buffalo being gregariOus animal, isola-
Ton seems 70 exert maign influence uD0D
its character. Ii the evidence be taken en-
bloc, there Will be preponderauce ia favor of
the idea that, unless il be exasperated by
wounds, or the hope Of escape is apparently ent
Of an unpr0voked assault upon its part Is rare
Capt. ehakspere, however, probably announces
general truth In saying that like the wild
male elephant, both the bison and the buffalo
ere very savage when found alone" Solitude
emblttcTs them they seem 10 brood over
Their wrongs and 20 desire
TO WKEAK THEIR VENGEANCE
upon everything they meet" Few or no sDorts.
lnen have dlsparaged the danger Of encounter
ing solitary bull, which. on account Of its i'm
mensc strength, speed, offensive armatnre cum
ming aud ierOciiy, Is generally acknowledged to
DC one oi The most terrible Of adVersaries Like
Tue FbinOceTos, this animal, when pressed In
thick cover often returns upon its trail and con-
cealIBg iiseli, takes the hunters ina flank or rear
and 10 this manner the loss Of life which Drum
mond, Anderson, Baker, etc, record as having
occurred during its pursuit is commonly 20 be
accounted for.
As Is the case with all wild beasts. the dis.
position and habits Of this creature are modified
BY Us association or contact with human beings
NO free denizen Of the forest or field long con-
tnues 10 regard man who can Kill ID and one
who cannot ia the same light. Neither the
Hindu agriculturist nor the hereditary hunts.
men Of their villages have inspired buffaloes
with much respect, aud everywhere among
lnperiectiy-armed people the animal appears