THE EUROPEAN BISON 79 



it is cheaper in Russia to kill a man than a bison. 

 The slaughter of a bison is punished by three years 

 hard labour and a fine of 800 roubles ; the slaughter 

 of a man by three years in Siberia and no fine at all ! 

 Any motherless bison, elk, or red deer found in the 

 forest are brought up on cow's milk until four months 

 old, when they are fed on bruised oats ; a fine strong 

 bull and four cows thus reared were sent to Pless in 

 I893. 1 The Lithuanian bison are supposed to have 

 degenerated by interbreeding; but at any rate a wild 

 bison killed by Johann Sigismund in 1595 weighed 

 only 19 cwt., or 100 Ibs. less than the specimen 

 living in the Berlin Zoological Gardens ! 



From its fine appearance and status as a genuine 

 "big game animal, the European bison has always 

 been a desirable exhibit for zoological gardens and 

 museums. All the specimens now in captivity are 

 supplied from the Lithuanian herd ; but on one 

 occasion on December 19, 1866 a Caucasian 

 example which Adjeff had taken near Ateikar 

 was with great difficulty conveyed to Moscow. 

 When Henry IV. of England visited Prussia in 

 1390-91, a bison and two bears were presented to 

 him royal gifts indeed : a bison was also sent to 

 London as a present to George IV. The first 

 examples received in the London Zoological Gardens 



1, The care taken of the Lithuanian bison nominally wild animals 

 has become almost ludicrous. According to Brehm, the fiery bonasus of 

 Aristotle now follow people to be fed, like the "wild" bears which 

 frequent the hotels in Yellowstone Park ! 



