JVote on the Bos urns. 391 



SHORT COMMUNICATIONS. 



[The following note on the Bos urus, referring to p. 254, was received 

 from Dr. Weissenborn after his article on that animal went to press.] 



After the above had been sent to England, the public has 

 been put in possession of the valuable information which Mr. 

 de Nordman, Professor of Natural History at the Odessa Ly- 

 ceum, has collected respecting the auerochs of Mount Cau- 

 casus, during his late travels in Caucasia, where he was often 

 obliged to make his scientific excursions under the protection 

 of a strong military escort, and a few field pieces. I do not 

 learn, however, that his observations ought to modify the view 

 which I have taken, as to the specific difference of the aue- 

 rochs of the Caucasus and the zubr of Lithuania. They are 

 as follows. 



" This animal, though no longer occurring near the high 

 road from Taman to Teflis, &c. is not very scarce in the inte- 

 rior of Caucasia. On my arrival at Gelendshik, I obtained 

 information, on good authority, that in a few districts by the 

 river Kuban, the auerochs was found in herds. Farther to 

 the south, in Abchasia, at Bambori, I found the horns of that 

 animal in general use as cups, in the houses of the chieftains. 

 At a banquetigiven by Prince Lewan Dadian, of Mongrelia, 

 to General Rosen, and at which I was present, I saw from 50 

 to 70 of these drinking-horns together. In Imerethi, Honi, 

 and Guriel, I observed these horns richly ornamented and in- 

 laid with silver : t.h py had been obtained as presents from the 

 princes of Circassia and Abchasia. When late in the autumn 

 of 1836, I returned into Abchasia, I learned that in conse- 

 quence of much snow having fallen on the mountains, a num- 

 ber of these oxen had descended into the valleys inhabited by 

 the tribe of Psoeh ; but being too much weakened by fever, 

 and short of provisions, I was unable to go into that district. 

 The demand of the Abchasians for procuring a specimen for 

 me, was 150 silver roubles. The auerochs is found on Mount 

 Caucasus from the Kuban to the source of the Psib, a distance 

 of about 200 werst, (115 English geographical miles). Near 

 the Kuban it is met with, in swampy places, all the year round. 

 In the country of the Abazechians (Abchasians ?) it repairs to 

 the mountains in summer, and is then frequently killed by the 



Vol. II._No. 19. n. s. n n 



