298 Bombay natural history society. 



horn shrinks. All the above measurements are from dry heads. 

 The measurement round the base of the horn would be about an 

 inch more in each case when the animal was killed. The horns of the 

 cow bison are much smaller and thinner than the bulls, and they 

 have a narrower sweep of horn. The tips of their horns curve in 

 sometimes very close together. I have a photo, of an ordinary cow 

 and a malformed cow's head; they are numbered 6 and 7. The latter 

 head is a very curious one, the bony core is only a few inches long, 

 and does not extend up the horn as usual. The measurements of the 

 malformed head are — Widest span, 33; length, 22 ; between points 

 26. The head of a bull procured from Travancore in the possession 

 of this Society measures — Widest span, 43 ; length, right horn, 

 31 i; left horn, 30^ ; between points, 29; round base, \S ; vertical 

 height of horns above skull, 12i. 



It would be hard to get a better one. It is No. 8 in photo., and 

 is taken on a larger scale than the photo, of the other heads. 



Bison are essentially a mountain animal, though they will often be 

 found in the low jungle in the proximity of hills ; they go in herds 

 arying in size generally from -0 to half a dozen. The old bulls lead 

 a solitary life. I have only once seen a young bull by himself, but two 

 young bulls together are common ; they are generally not worth shoot- 

 ing. A cow is sometimes seen alone with her calf, the latter being 

 a few months old. Large herds of cows and calves without any bull 

 at all, and herds without a good bull, are common. Sometimes an 

 old bull, which according to custom ought to be solitary, is found 

 with a herd, especially if the herd is a large one. Mr. Sanderson says 

 he has never found a really aged bull with a herd. I have shot 

 very old black bulls with rugged heads out' of herds. Head No. 4 

 is an instance in point, and the biggest one I ever saw was in a 

 large herd. No doubt old bulls are generally solitary. A solitary 

 bull has always a good head, so you may be sure when you get on 

 his tracks that he is worth powder and ball. The points of an old 

 bull's horns are invariably worn, broken and blunted at the points. 

 The horn, however, grows again and makes a fresh point in the 

 middle of the blunt end; see heads Nos. 1, 2 and 4. The calves in my 

 opinion are born at all times of the year, though it is said that most 

 are born about the end of the rains. I have seen young ones of a 

 few days old in May and June, and the calves one sees then appear 

 to be of all ages. I was once in the beginning of June tracking a 

 herd, and came on a calf crouched in the long grass. The mother 



