274 Life-histories of Northern Animals 



LIFE- It was during the migrations alone that the very large 



herds were seen. Bands of a few thousand were found at all 

 seasons, but the millions came together only on some great 

 general impulse. 



Let us follow one of the herds moving northward to its 

 summer home from the sheltered bottom-lands along the 

 Missouri, in Central Dakota, where it had wintered. 



Before there is yet any visible spring in the land the spirit 

 of unrest comes on the animals. It may be that the final touch 

 is given by a warm, sunny day. Some old cow, with a bunch of 

 from 50 to 100 followers, turns her nose northward. Their 

 grunting spreads an epidemic of unrest, and from every valley 

 a long, black string pours forth. As they top the uplands, 

 others and yet others come to view. The general move is north- 

 ward, but their disposition is to condense into one herd. As 

 night comes down, black and chill, they leave the exposed ridges 

 and shelter in the hollows. Cold weather and more snow may 

 follow, but the impulse to travel possesses them now. Once it is 

 given command, it changes not in force or direction till the re- 

 membered pastures are reached. Rivers may cross their path. 

 These, if frozen, are unnoticed; if open, they are swum; if 

 covered with rotten ice, the ice is broken eventually by the 

 weight of the herd, and many are drowned, but the rest swim 

 through and continue their march. An onset of hunters may 

 swerve them for a time, but it does not change their main trend. 



For three or four weeks this continues, and the blackening 

 horde comes swarming down the long level prairies of the Red 

 River Valley. Now they are nearing their familiar summer 

 haunts, and the bands which united originally to form the herd, 

 begin to quit that main body. Again some old leader cow sets 

 the example; and, stringing after her, come many cows and 

 yearlings, mostly relatives by blood. Finally come a dozen 

 bulls, mostly relatives by marriage. 



cow In a broad sense, it will be seen that this small local herd 



THE is a family, or rather, a clan. Their leader is always an old 

 ^^^^ cow — there is abundance of evidence for this — doubtless she is 



