74 NATURAL HISTORY ESSAYS 



the older animals lay chewing the cud in a sequestered 

 valley, while the youngsters romped about, playing 

 amongst themselves and sending up clouds of sand. 

 At the first note of the horn the troop as by magic 

 bounded to their feet, eyes and ears alert ; the calves 

 pressed timidly against their mothers. When they 

 heard the yelping of the dogs, the bison hastily 

 placed the young ones in front and, themselves 

 acting as rear guard, took to flight. The beaters 

 receiving them with yells and blank powder, the 

 older animals then charged furiously through 

 their assailants, who slipped behind the tree trunks. 

 The foresters managed to hold a three months calf; 

 but another of fifteen months upset the eight men 

 who seized him, and made off. Several others were 

 taken on this occasion ; they were required for the 

 London Zoological Gardens and elsewhere, it having 

 been found that adult animals could not survive in 

 captivity. 



A curious plant the zubr grass with an entirely 

 green blade grows in the Caucasus forests ; it 

 exhales a remarkable scent, half musky half violet, 

 and imparts this odour to the bison which feed on it. 1 

 Bison are also fond of the wide-leaved onoclea 

 (Onoclea struthiopteris) a small plant growing in the 

 woods ; they feed on ferns, on the bark of various 

 trees such as the birch and rowan, and on tree 



1. The scent of the zubr grass is probably due to the presence of 

 benzole acid. 



