The Complete Work of Charles Darwin Online

RECORD: Darwin, C. R. [1869].02.19. Cape Buffalo. CUL-DAR83.8. Edited by John van Wyhe (Darwin Online, http://darwin-online.org.uk/)

REVISION HISTORY: Transcribed by Christine Chua and edited by John van Wyhe 2.2022. RN1

NOTE: See record in the Darwin Online manuscript catalogue, enter its Identifier here. Reproduced with permission of the Syndics of Cambridge University Library and William Huxley Darwin. The volumes CUL-DAR80-86 contain material for Darwin's book Descent of man (1871).

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Feb 19th Z. G.

At meeting of Soc. horns of Cape Buffalo were exhibited by Tegetmeier & it was maintained that they would be useless in battle; but Mr. Bartlett turned a spiteful cow buffalo with the male cow & she attacked him, he pushed her very hard about with his forehead & B. was certain (& was much afraid) he wd have killed her by a lateral thrust of his horns.

It is extremely difficult to guess how those antelopes in which the horns stand upright with the points turned at right angles inwards fight; but B. did not know; but he suggested that a fearful wound might then be thus inflicted on each side of the face.

Citation: John van Wyhe, ed. 2002-. The Complete Work of Charles Darwin Online. (http://darwin-online.org.uk/)