European Bison 69 



down, about 5000 feet, and it was also more common. That the bison 

 has now passed over the mountain range, and is wandering southwards is 

 pretty certain. There was an instance of this in 1874, in which year an 

 example was killed not tlu" from Romanonskoje, about a day's journey from 

 Sotschi on the coast." 



Till recently even the natives of the Caucasus seem to have been 



scarcely aware of the existence of the bison, or zubr, as it is called in 



Russian, in their midst. Prince Demidoff, in Hunting Trips to the Caucasus, 



writes as follows of its range and habits in that district : i— " Not so long ago 



the bison used to haunt most of the valleys of the Kouban territories, such 



as the Zellentchuk, where there are said to be some at the present time, 



both the Great and Little Laba, Urushten, and elsewhere. But so shy an 



animal could not long continue to live within easy reach of men, and had 



constantly to retire before advancing civilisation. It is now concentrated 



in the dense forests overlooking the valleys of the Kiska, and fifty years 



hence it is to be feared will have entirely disappeared. There is no doubt 



of the existence of the bison on the southern part of the Caucasian range, 



between the hills and the Black Sea ; but I have never visited that side, 



and was told it was much harder work to approach them there, for the 



slopes are far steeper, and covered with virgin and almost impenetrable 



forests. When frightened, they wander great distances without taking 



rest, and are not stopped even by the highest ridges, over which they 



climb, notwithstanding their weight, which attains 1700 lbs. or more. 



There is no proof that they do not travel to and fro over the main rano-e in 



the Kouban district, and I do not see why they should not. I have myself 



seen their tracks on the snow in September at an altitude of 8000 feet. 



Some thirty years ago, as I was told by native hunters, the bison used to be 



seen m herds of fifty or sixty head, but at the present time one rarely sees 



more than five or six together. Two years ago the Grand Duke's head 



' In the extract 1 have ventured to substitute the word bison for aurochs. 



