THE AMERICAN BISON. 



Bos Americanus. 



PLATE XXX. 



The Buffalo, Catesby, &c. Bos Americanus, Gmetin, J7i- 

 chardson. Bison Americanus, Griffith" 1 s Synopsis. 



OUR information regarding this important animal 

 is, thanks to the intrepid travellers in the arctic re- 

 gions, and particularly to Dr Richardson, much more 

 authentic than most of that we have been able to 

 collect regarding one or two others. We have ex- 

 tracted the most important part ot the above-men- 

 tioned naturalist's description. They appear to have 

 been formerly found in considerable plenty in Ca- 

 nada, Pennsylvania, and Kentucky, but are gradual- 

 ly receding before the white population ; and the 

 rifle, as in southern Africa, has here also done its 

 work. They still exist in the north, and roam in 

 countless herds over the prairies that are watered by 

 the Arkansa, Platte, Missouri, and ihe upper branches 

 of the Saskatchawan. They reach to latitude 63* 

 and 64, and are always to be found in the vicinity 

 of the salt-licks, and in another direction extend to 

 New Mexico and California. The Bison is a fierce 



