282 



Life-histories of Northern Animals 



Fig. 104 — Cattalo cow in herd of Buffalo Jones. 



From pen-and-ink sketch by Ernest Thompson Seton. 



(Courtesy of the United States National Museum.) 



fatter every day. All the early morning they graze. Toward 

 ten o'clock they lie down and chew their cud; about noon the 

 old cow will arise and march toward the water with the band 

 behind her. She does not go far among the many deep-worn 



Buffalo trails before 

 finding one which 

 is headed her way. 

 She follows it; the 

 others come string- 

 ing along single file 

 behind her. The 

 only exception to 

 the single rank is 

 made by the young 

 calves, which run 

 and frisk along be- 

 side their mothers. It may be miles to the watering place, but 

 the herd marches steadily and with purpose. After all have 

 drunk their fill, they may lie down again in the neighbour- 

 hood, or maybe they will wander back to some prairie swell, on 

 whose northern side the sun is a little less warm or the western 



breeze a little stronger, and 

 there they scatter and lie 

 down for a two hours' rest, 

 till the herd is reminded of 

 its own growing hunger per- 

 haps by some young ''spike- 

 horn" rising to resume the 

 quest for food. Or, maybe, 

 the final ounce of push that 

 moves the landslide is sup- 

 plied even by some little calf, 

 who, desiring drink, uses vigorous means to make his mother 

 take the posture needful to serve him. 



I remember once watching a young calf that besought his 

 mother for food by pushing her neck as she lay. She brushed 

 him away with a swing of her head. He tried farther back. 



Fig. 105 — The big bull collected by W. T. Hornaday. 



From pen-and-ink sketch by Ernest Thompson Seton. 



(Courtesy of the United States National Museum.) 



