ogical gardens, although the
African and larger form of the rhinoceros and elephant are seldom or
never seen in captivity. But buffaloes are as yet unrepresented in our
living collections. They are huge beasts, tremendous from any point
of view, whether considered in height, in mass, or in power. At the
shoulder they stand from just under five feet to just under six feet in
height; they are short legged, heavy bodied bull necked, thick in every
dimension. In colour they are black as to hair, and slate gray as to
skin; so that the individual impression depends on the thickness of the
coat. They wear their horns parted in the middle, sweeping smoothly away
in the curves of two great bosses either side the head. A good trophy
will measure in spread from forty inches to four feet. Four men will
be required to carry in the head alone. As buffaloes when disturbed or
suspicious have a habit of thrusting their noses up and forward, that
position will cling to one's memory as the most typical of the species.

A great many hunters rank the buffalo first among the dangerous beasts.
This is not my own opinion, but he is certainly dangerous enough. He
possesses the size, power, and truculence of the rhinoceros, together
with all that animal's keenness of scent and hearing but with a
sharpness of vision the rhinoceros has not. While not as clever as
either the lion or the elephant, he is tricky enough when angered to
circle back for the purpose of attacking his pursuers in the rear or
flank, and to arrange rather ingenious ambushes for the same purpose.
He is rather more tenacious of life than the rhinoceros, and will
carry away an extraordinary quantity of big bullets. Add to these
considerations the facts that buffaloes go in herds; and that, barring
luck, chances are about even they will have to be followed into the
thickest cover, it can readily be seen that their pursuit is exciting.

The problem would be simplified were one able or willing to slip into
the thicket or up to the grazing herd and kill the nearest beast that
offers. As a matter of fact an ordinary herd will contain only two or
three bulls worth shooting; and it is the hunter's delicate task to
glide and crawl here and there, with due regard for sight, scent and
sound, until he has picked one of these from the scores of undesirables.
Many times will he worm his way by inches toward the great black bodies
half defined in the screen of thick undergrowth only to find t