The Fur Animals of Louisiana 35 



number of translated passages from Dumont's work, where 

 they treat of the fur animals of Louisiana, are included 

 in this bulletin. 



"Of all the terrestrial animals which live in this Pro- 

 vince the most important & the most useful to the country- 

 are the Bears and the wild Oxen. [Boeuf sauvage or the 

 bison or "Buffalo" as we now know this great animal which 

 was found in many places in Louisiana in winter. The 

 Bayou Terre Boeuf section of St. Bernard and Plaquemines 

 parishes was named the French equivalent of "Land of 

 the Beeves" because of the great number of buffaloes, mem- 

 bers of what is known as the Southern Herd, that spent 

 the winter months in the lush-green pastures of these re- 

 known marshes.] The latter, instead of being covered 

 with hair, as are our oxen in France, are covered 

 with fleece as fine as silk and quite curly," wrote M. Du- 

 mont, "& it is heavier in winter than in summer, the In- 

 habitants make great use of it. They [the buffaloes] have 

 near the shoulders a rather high hump & have very fine 

 horns which serve as receptacles for the hunters to carry 

 their powder. Between their horns & near the top of their 

 heads, they have a tuft of wool so thick that a pistol shot 

 fired point blank cannot penetrate it, as I have myself 

 experienced. The flesh of these Boeuf sauvage is excellent, 

 as is that of the cow & of the calf; its flavors & juices are 

 exquisite." 



M. Dumont mentioned our Louisiana white-tailed deer, 

 which he termed a chevreuil, and paid high compliment to 

 its flesh, either boiled or roasted, and devoted consider- 

 able space to the Louisiana black bear, describing its hunt- 

 ing and spoke of the trade the colony enjoyed in "bear oil." 

 He mentioned the many squirrels seen and described the 

 antics of the flying squirrels. 



"There are also chats sauvage in this region, especially 

 in the lower river region, & on the islands along the coast," 

 sets down M. Dumont. His cJmt sauvage, literally trans- 

 lated meaning "wild cat," was none other than our amus- 

 ing little raccoon. The early French settlers, never having 

 seen such an animal before, decided that it was more like 

 a cat than any other creature, and thus named it. 



