diff --git a/protocol/dataframe_protocol.py b/protocol/dataframe_protocol.py
index aee959af..ea2765ad 100644
--- a/protocol/dataframe_protocol.py
+++ b/protocol/dataframe_protocol.py
@@ -345,6 +345,12 @@ def get_buffers(self) -> ColumnBuffers:
         """
         Return a dictionary containing the underlying buffers.
 
+        Each buffer has its own dtype which can be distinct from the
+        column's dtype. For example, a column with the ``STRING`` dtype
+        could be represented by two buffers: a "data" buffer with
+        dtype ``INT`` and bit width 8, and an "offsets" buffer with
+        dtype ``INT`` and bit width 32.
+
         The returned dictionary has the following contents:
 
             - "data": a two-element tuple whose first element is a buffer