74 



Oxen 



Of these, eight bulls were shot during a hunt organised by the Grand 

 Duke Sergius Mikhailovitch in December 1895. 



With the exception that perhaps more cows were killed than is justi- 

 fiable, the damage done to the herd during these sixty years by actual 

 hunting was certainly not excessive. But the after-effects ot these hunts — 

 due to the frightening of the animals by the beaters— appear to have been 

 far more serious. This seems to be most marked after the great hunt ot 

 i860, when, as already said, upwards of twenty-eight tell to the rifles of 

 the sportsmen. In i860, as shown in the first table, the total number of 

 bison in the forest was believed to be 1575, but as only 1447 were counted 

 in the following season, the herd had suffered a total diminution ot 128 

 head ; and it is greatly to be feared that the mortality was mainly due 

 to the ultimate results of the great hunt. 



The official records are silent as to the number of bison killed by 

 poachers from 1832 to 1872, although sporting journals and popular 

 literature show that tlie total must have been by no means inconsiderable. 

 Between 1873 and 1892 the number thus lost is officially given as 

 thirty-six. This is by no means heavy ; and since ot late years still greater 

 precautions have been taken in guarding the forest, it may be safely 

 concluded that very little harm is now done by poaching. 



A certain number of bison have been from time to time captured alive 

 in the forest and presented to various zoological gardens. Foremost among 

 these was a pair captured in 1H47 and sent to London in 1848 ; the 

 British Museum also receiving; a skin, which is still exhibited in the 

 mammal gallery. About that date a second pair was presented to a Russian 

 park, a third to the Zoological Gardens ot Schonbruner, near Vienna, and 

 a fourth to the Jardin des Plantes, Paris. In 1864 a bull, cow, and calt 

 were sent to Moscow ; and the same year the Zoological Gardens ot 

 that city received a bull and cow, together with two calves, the two 

 former ot which had been captured with the London specimens in 1847. 



