WATER BUFFALOES.
[TO THE EDITOR OP THE "SPECTATOR."]
Sue,—Having read the interesting article on the water buffalo in the Spectator of August 31st, I take the liberty to send you a few supplementary details. The Indian buffalo has been introduced into the Northern territory of South Australia, where it has reverted to a feral state, and rapidly increased for some time, covering a large extent of country; but it is now being steadily exterminated by hide-hunters. Sir H. H.. Johnston in his book on British Central Africa says he im- ported some of these animals into Nyassaland in the hope of domesticating the African buffalo by using the Indian species as foster-mothers, an experiment which, unfortu- nately, did not seem successful. I myself saw about half-a- dozen water buffalo in a paddock near the Savannah, Port of Spain, Trinidad, W.I., about seven years ago. I believe they were imported there in order to form a stock for the benefit of the Indian coolies, but I do not know if they have increased.
—I am, Sir, Stc., HAMILTON. Barons Court, Co. Tyrone, Ireland.
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