116 PROCEEDINGS OF THE CANADIAN LNSTITUTE. 
immersed to the eyes in some lake or mud hole. and it is not an 
uncommon sight for the voyageur, who silently rounds some point 
on the Liard, Salt or Peace River, to observe, protruding from the 
water, the great black head of the buffalo, who, gazing stupidly for 
an instant, then suddenly bestirring himself, plunges to the shore 
and disappears among the trees. They feed in the night, the only 
time they are tree from the torment of the gad flies. They seek 
the thick swamps from preference, but distinguish and avoid the 
treacherous bogs or muskegs, which are found in various parts of the 
country. 
My informant thinks that they frequent the dense woods in sum- 
mer, chiefly to escape the persecutions of the gad-flies ; for, when the 
day chances to be so cold and windy that not a fly is to be seen, 
they take advantage of the opportunity to climb about even the 
high, rocky hills. 
The young are produced sometime in June, usually one, but 
occasionally two at a birth. Concerning their color, development 
and growth, I have not been able to procure reliable information. 
There is one other general observation that I would make in 
connection with the buffalo. Ina previous paper, I brought forward 
reasons for believing that, within a very recent period, this prairie 
country was one continuous forest, and that fire had been the clear- 
ingagent. Where, then, it may be asked, were the Prairie Buffaloes 
in those forest days! I am inclined to think there were none, but 
that the sole bovine inhabitant of the country was the Wood 
Buffalo, and that the prairie animal is a recent specialization, which 
conforms in its change of form and habits to several precedents, 
wherein a wood animal has become smaller, lighter colored, and 
gregarious, on betaking itself to a life in the open country. As 
examples, I may cite the almost solitary giant Ure Ox of Cesar’s 
time, said to be the ancestor of our common cattle; the Prairie 
Wolf, doubtless very nearly akin to his larger brother of the timber ; 
and the Barren Ground Caribou, which evidently was but recently 
differentiated from its larger, darker, and less gregarious woodland 
brother ! 
So far, I have not had an opportunity of examining the hide of 
the Wood Buffalo, though I learn that they are not esteemed great 
rarities, even among Fort Garry furs, yet, I hope that any veader 
who may have the opportunity of measuring or describing this 
