HISTORY OF CALIFORNIA. 



299 



and their expression is ferocious ; the horns are small 

 and black. The neck, withers, and chest, are covered 

 with a profusion of long shaggy hair, contributing to 

 render the appearance of the animal wild and terrific ; 

 the hinder quarters are clothed with shorter wool. 

 The general color is umber brown, acquiring a rusty 

 tint in winter. Endowed with the sense of smell 

 in great perfection, wary and fierce, the Bison asso 

 ciates in large herds conducted by one or two old 

 bulls, whose motions the rest appear to follow ; but 

 herds of bulls also live separately. Their food consists 

 of grass and rank herbage, to obtain which in winter 

 they scrape away the snow with their feet. On the 

 approach of an enemy the herd immediately takes to 

 flight ; but if one be wounded, the life of the hunter is 

 placed in great jeopardy, for turning ift a moment, it 

 rushes on its assailant with headlong impetuosity and 

 with determined resolution. Several fatal instances 

 might be cited in which the hunter has perished from 

 want of caution in attacking this formidable beast, and 

 many hairbreadth escapes are on record. 



In defending itself from a dog the Bison strikes 

 violently with its fore-feet and easily keeps its annoy 

 ing foe at bay. 



The flesh of this animal is accounted excellent, the 

 tongue and hump, or flesh on the top of the withers, 

 being especial delicacies. The chase of the Bison is 

 therefore assiduously carried on, both by the natives 

 and the Europeans. 



The Bison swims well, and during the heats of sum 

 mer vast herds make their way to shady rivulets, 

 streams, and pools, in which they delight to plunge 

 and bathe. Herds of twenty thousand, crossing rivers 

 upwards of a mile in breadth, have been seen, as 



