134 The Bison 



sat, licking their chops in impatient expectancy, 

 at least a dozen large gray wolves — except man, 

 the most dangerous enemy of the buffalo. The 

 doctor determined to watch the performance. 

 After a few moments the knot broke up, still 

 keeping in a compact mass, and started on a 

 trot for the main herd some half mile off. To 

 his very great astonishment, the doctor now 

 saw that the central and controlling figure of 

 this mass was a poor little calf, so newly born 

 as scarcely to be able to walk. After going fifty 

 or one hundred yards, the calf lay down ; the 

 bulls disposed themselves in a circle as before, 

 and the wolves, who had trotted along on each 

 flank of their retreating supper, sat down and 

 licked their chops again. This was repeated 

 again and again, and although the doctor did not 

 see the finale (it being late and the camp distant), 

 he had no doubt that the noble fathers did their 

 whole duty by their offspring, and carried it safely 

 to the herd." 



We may imagine that this was an unusual 

 occurrence ; at the same time, it is true that 

 a group of buffalo, if one of their number is 

 attacked or threatened by wolves while they 

 are close together, will all rally to the general 



