The Common Buffalo appears to be a native of the warm and damp parts of
India and the neighboring isles, from whence it has spread into Persia,
Arabia, the south of Africa, Greece and Italy. It is nearly the same
size as an Ox. Its bulging forehead, which is longer than it is wide,
bears two black horns, turned outwards. Its coat is coarse and scant,
except on its throat and cheeks, and it has a very small dew-lap. It
lives in numerous herds in marshy and low plains, where it delights in
wallowing. It is of a wild and untractable disposition, particularly
towards strangers; and, in order to make use even of those which are the
tamest, the more perfectly to control them, a ring of iron is passed
through their nostrils. In the cultivation of rice that cereal
particularly requiring moist land—their services are most valuable, for
their power of draught, even when immersed to the knees in mud, far
exceeds all other animals in a similar situation.
The Arna, or Wild Buffalo, must be considered as a variety of this
species. Its horns are very large, about five feet long, wrinkled on
their concave side, and flat in front. It is principally found in
Hindostan.