American Bison 87 



Wolves were the only animals molesting the bison until the advent of 

 man, and before their numbers were so reduced by hunters these marauders 

 constantly harassed the herds. . . . When separated from the herd the 

 mother was often obliged to pass the night in sleepless vigil, pacing 

 about her sleeping calf" 



In reference to the last statement, there have been observed in many 

 places on the prairie circles of five or six feet in diameter of taller and 

 greener grass than the ordinary sward, which appear to have sprung up on 

 the tracks of a cow thus protecting her calf. Much more rarely similar 

 half-circles have been noticed, which are attributed to a cow walking 

 between her recumbent calf on one side and a watchful wolf on the other. 

 An instance has also been recorded where a party of bulls combined to 

 rescue a newly-born calf from the jaws of one of these devourers. Although 

 calves doubtless formed the chief prey of the wolves prowling round the 

 confines of the herd, it was not by any means to these alone that the 

 attacks of the latter were confined. Old, sickly, and wounded individuals 

 of both sexes from time to time fell victims ; and Catlin has given a sad 

 picture of a feeble old bull standing on the defensive against a pack of 

 hungry wolves and gradually succumbing. 



In many of their habits bison were more like buffalo than domestic 

 cattle. In their fondness for rubbing they resembled both ; and traces of 

 this habit are to be found in the polished surfaces of the few masses of 

 rock which project above the level prairies, as well as in the smoothed 

 bark of the small number of trees dotted over the same. In their par- 

 tiality for wallowing in mud they were much more like buffalo. And so 

 ingrained was this habit that old bulls were accustomed to make " wallows " 

 for themselves when ready-made ones were not to be found. " Finding in 

 the low parts of the prairies," says Catlin, "a little stagnant water amongst 

 the grass, and the ground underneath soft and saturated with moisture, an 

 old bull lowers himself upon one knee, plunges his horns into the ground. 



