THE AMERICAN BISON 785 



park buffaloes strayed beyond the boundary, they too were promptly killed for their 

 heads and hides. Those remaining in the Yellowstone are now protected by the 

 Government, and there are a few scattered bands still lingering in the more remote 

 and inaccessible portions of the country, but otherwise the American bison has 

 ceased to exist as a wild animal. 



Turning to the development and habits of the species, it appears 

 that the breeding season is from the beginning of July to the end of 

 September, and that the calves are generally born from April to June, although occa- 

 sionally as late as August. The cow does not breed till three years old, and some- 

 times produces two calves at a birth. For the first two months of its existence the 

 calf has the pelage of a brownish-yellow color; and even at that period has indica- 

 tions of the long hair covering the fore-quarters of the adult. Young calves can be 

 tamed with facility. In yearling bison the horns are in the form of a straight 

 conical spike, of from four to six inches in length; and these spike-like horns, with 

 a curve at the base in older individuals, continue till the end of the fourth year, 

 during which period the young males are termed ' ' spike bulls. ' ' In these young 

 bulls the horns are jet black; but from scaling of the exterior, and the accumulation 

 of dirt, they tend to gray in the adult. With advancing age the outer layers of the 

 horn begin to break off near the summit, until the whole horn becomes short, thick, 

 and blunted, " with only the tip of what was once a neat and shapely horn showing 

 at the end. The bull is then known as a 'stub horn,' and his horns increase in 

 roughness and unsightliness as he grows older." 



Toward the end of winter the coat of the bison assumes a faded and bleached 

 appearance from the effects of the wear and tear of the elements; and toward the 

 end of February, or somewhat later, the coat begins to change, but the whole 

 process occupies more than half the year. The shedding is accomplished both by 

 the new hair growing into and forcing off the old, and also by the latter falling off 

 and leaving the skin bare in great patches. During the shedding process the animal 

 presents an unsightly appearance, but by the end of June the whole of the old hair 

 has fallen off and the body is bare, although the new dark hair is well grown on the 

 head. During the summer the naked skin is scorched by the sun and bitten by 

 flies, and the animal consequently protects itself by wallowing, and thus coating 

 itself with a plaster of dried mud. By the beginning of October the new coat of 

 hair has, however, attained a considerable length, and between the twentieth of 

 November and the twentieth of December the bison is in the full glory of his ap- 

 parel; and the contrast presented by his condition at this time to that during the sum- 

 mer must be seen to be fully appreciated. The height attained by the bull bison 

 has been already mentioned. In regard to weight, Mr. Hornaday states that an 

 adult bull shot by his party scaled 1,727 pounds, but as the animal was by no means 

 fat it is probable that this weight is in some cases exceeded. 



It was during the breeding season that the small bands which had been previ- 

 ously distributed over a wide area of country collected in the huge herds above 

 alluded to; and at such seasons the bulls were occupied either in chasing the cows 

 or in combats among themselves. The concerted roaring of the bulls at these times 

 is described as resembling thunder, and audible at distances of from one to three 

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