American Bison 79 



Like their American cousins European bison dearly love a mud-bath, 

 and at times when the flies are troublesome they may frequently be seen 

 plastered over with a coat of dry mud, which forms an efficient protection 

 against their tormentors. During the time they are changing from the 

 winter to the summer coat, the old pelage hangs loosely to parts of the 

 body, and comes away in large blanket-like masses. The cows give birth 

 to their offspring in the thickest and most secluded portions of the forest 

 during the month of May or early part of June, and display great boldness 

 in defending them from the attacks of prowling wolves or bears. It is 

 seldom that more than a single calf is produced at a birth, and, as already 

 stated, in Bielowitza the cows now breed but once in three years, although it 

 is by no means certain that the rate of increase may not formerly have been 

 less slow. At the conclusion of the pairing season, the old bulls once 

 more forsake the herds with which they have temporarily consorted, to 

 resume a solitary and unsociable existence. Although a full-grown bull 

 bison in his prime might appear a match for all foes, it is stated that 

 during winter, when struggling through snow-drifts, even such splendid 

 animals may occasionally be pulled down by packs of wolves ; and, according 

 to Prince Demidoff, they are also attacked by leopards. 



5. The American Bison — Bos bison 



Bos hison, Linn. Syst. Nut. ed. 12, vol. i. p. 99 (1766). 



Bos aincr'icanus., Gmelin, Syst. Nat. vol. i. p. 204 (178S) ; Richardson, 

 Faiiihi Bor.-Anicr. p. 279 (1829) > fardine, Natiirii/isfs Lihrary — Mamiii. 

 vol. iv. p. 252 (1836); Sundevall, A.'. Svenska Vet. Ak. Haiidl. for 1844, 

 p. 154 (1846) ; Baird, Mainm. N. America, p. 682 (1859) ; W. L. Sclater, 

 Cat. Ma/iii/i. liid. Mils. pt. ii. p. 131 (1891) ; Huet, Bull. Soc. Acdim. 

 Pans, vol. xxxviii. p. ^44 (1891); Ward, Records of' Big Game, p. 269 

 (1896). 



