82 THE BISON. 



a cow ; and in most country villages, milk cannot be procured 

 at any price. 



In the next chapter, we shall give an account of some other 

 species of horned cattle, which, not being domesticated like the 

 cow, are not so useful to man, although it is not improbable, 

 that, by a proper management, more benefit might be derived 

 from them than is generally imagined. 



CHAPTER V. 



"The buffalo and bison, wild and fierce, 



Roam the wide plains, exulting in their strength." 



THE URUS, OR WILD BULL, 



AN animal which greatly resembles the tame kind, except in 

 some trifling differences, which it probably owes to its natural 

 wildness, in conjunction with the luxuriance of the pastures in 

 which it ranges. It is chiefly to be met with in the extensive 

 plains and forests of Lithuania, where it grows to an amazing 

 size and bulk, being in these respects superior to every other 

 quadruped except the elephant. It is entirely black, except a 

 single stripe of white that runs along the whole length of the 

 back : its eyes are red and fiery ; the horns thick and short ; 

 the forehead is ornamented with a bushy covering of thick 

 curled hair ; the neck is short and strong, and the skin exhales 

 an odour somewhat resembling musk. The female, although 

 much less than the male, exceeds in size the largest bulls pro- 

 duced in this country. 



THE BISON 



Is another animal which differs from the rest of the ox kind, 

 principally in having a large hump between its shoulders, resem- 

 bling the boss of the camel, only with this difference, that it is 

 placed more forward. The bison is furnished with a long shaggy 

 mane, which forms a beard under his chin. His head is small, 

 and his forehead wide ; his eyes fierce and red, and his horns 

 extremely expanded. He is exceedingly wild and fierce, and 

 the pursuit of him is very dangerous, except in forests where 

 the trees are large enough to conceal and secure the hunters. 

 The general method of taking this animal, is by digging deep 

 pits, covered over with grass, on the opposite side of which some 

 of the hunters placing themselves, tempt the enraged creature to 

 pursue them, when, falling into the snare, he is soon overpowered. 



