3o8 Game of Europe, W. & N. Asia & America 



TH1-: WOODLAND BISON 



[Bos bison dt/ui/hlSCic) 



The type specimen ot this race of the American hison was obtained 

 from a spot hftv miles to the south-west of Fort Resolution, Great Slave 

 Lake, and is now preserved in the Museum at Ottawa. The animal is 

 an inhabitant of the wooded uplands of the North-West Territories, and 

 in former days its distributional area appears to have extended from the 

 eastern slope ot the Rocky Mountains to the 95th meridian, and from 

 latitude 63 ' N. to latitude 55 , and probably southwards along the line 

 of the Rocky Mountains into the L^nited States. 



It is described by American naturalists as a larger and generally darker 

 animal than the typical race, with the horns longer, more slender, and 

 more incurved. The general colour is light brown shading into dark 

 brown, and becoming nearly black on the head, limb.^, and under-parts ; 

 the ears and tail-tip being wholly black. 



In spite of the statement as to its larger size, the measurements of a 

 bull of this race given by Dr. D. G. Elliot in his Sv/iopsis of the Mamwals 

 of North America are smaller than those of the typical form. 



The writer must confess that (perhaps from not having seen a sufficient 

 number ot specimens) he has hitherto been unable to distinguish between 

 this and the typical race. In this connection it mav be of interest to quote 

 trom some observations on the woodland bison published by Dr. J. A. 

 Allen in the Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History for 

 1900^ ; the basis ot the notice being a head obtained from the neighbour- 

 hood of the Great Slave Lake. Referring to this specimen. Dr. Allen 

 writes as follows : — 



" Compared with specimens of the plains bison of corresponding age, 



' Vol. xli!. n. 62. 



