yo Oxen 



keeper, who went to inspect their haunts, counted nine together. He told 

 me they stood before him for some time, gazing at liim without seeming 

 at all frightened, and after a good three minutes' standing they turned 

 round and walked slowly away." 



In 1887 a male and female bison, now mounted in the British Museum, 

 were killed bv Mr. St. George Littledale in the Western Caucasus. In 1895 

 a third was shot by the Grand Duke Sergius iMikhailovitch, and a fourth by 

 General Scliilder ; while Prince Demidoff's personal experiences during 

 the same year are detailed in his work. In Biclowitza a pair were shot 

 by Major A. Heber Percy in 1879. 



For the latest information with regard to the bison in the forest of 

 Bielowitza, naturalists are indebted to a valuable memoir by Dr. E. 

 Biichner, publi^hell in the Memoirs of the St. Pctcrshoiirg Academy of Sciences, 

 of which the following is a summary: — With regard to the early history of 

 the herd, there is unfortunately a dearth of information, although since the 

 year 1832 an almost continuous coimt has been kept oi their numbers. It 

 is, however, certain that during the Polish War of 18 12 the bison had a 

 bad time of it, although accounts differ as to the number of head that sur- 

 vived. Thus, it is stated bv Brinckcn that, at the close of the war, the 

 number of bison was diminished to 300. This, however, may perhaps refer 

 only to full-grown animals, since Baumersrod states that during his journey 

 through Lithuania in 18 13 there were 500 head of all ages. On the other 

 hand, Sachnicki repeats the statement that between 18 15 and 18 17 the herd 

 numbered scarcely 300. Again, in 1820, EichwaUl speaks of 350 as the 

 number t)f bison then li\ing in the forest ; and Dolmatoff at the same time 

 gives the total as :;oo. There must, however, certainly be some error in 

 their accounts, for, in the oflicial count made early in 1821, the number 

 is given as fully 500. 



Whatever may be the truth as to the exact number to which the herd 

 was reduced during the war, there is no doubt tliat after 1813 it once 



