THE BISON. 



The eye of the bison is small, black, and bril- 

 liant; the horns are black and very thick near the 

 head, whence they curve upwards and outwards, 

 rapidly tapering towards their points. The outline 

 of the face is somewhat convexly curved, and the 

 upper lip, on each side being papillous within, di- 

 lates and extends downwards, giving a very oblique 

 appearance to the lateral gape of the mouth, in this 

 particular resembling the ancient architectural bas- 

 reliefs representing the heads of oxen. 



The physiognomy of the bison is menacing and 

 ferocious, and no one can see this formidable ani- 

 mal in his native wilds, for the first time, without 

 feeling inclined to attend immediately to his person- 

 al safety. The summer coat of the bison diifers 

 from his winter dress, rather by difference of length 

 than by other particulars. In summer, from the 

 shoulders backwards, the hinder parts of the ani- 

 mal are all covered with a very short fine hair, that 

 is as smooth and as soft to the touch as velvet. 

 The tail is quite short and tufted at the end, and 

 its utility as a fly-brush is necessarily very limited. 

 The colour of the hair is uniformly dun, but the 

 long hair on the anterior parts of the body is to a 

 certain extent tinged with yellowish or rust colour. 

 These animals, however, present so little variety in 

 regard to colour, that the natives consider any re- 

 markable difference from the common appearance 

 as resulting from the immediate interference of the 

 Great Spirit. 



