THE AMERICAN BISON. 253 



and treacherous-looking animal ; and all those which 

 we have seen exhibited under the title of Bonassus, 

 had a most disgusting and sinister look. The head 

 and fore quarter is large, appearing more so by 

 the thick coating of long shaggy hair, covering the 

 bead and nape, and almost obscuring the small blood- 

 shot-looking eye. The horns are small, tapering, and 

 acute, set far apart, and nearly straight. 



The colour of the animal is a liver or umber- 

 brown, and its height at the shoulder is upwards of 

 six feet. Twelve or fourteen hundred weight is a 

 common weight in the fur countries ; but they some- 

 times reach a weight of 2000 Ib. The hump is a 

 mass of -fat of various size, according to circum- 

 stances, and is much esteemed by epicures. The 

 flesh is juicy and well-flavoured. The skin, from 

 the fine wool, makes an excellent blanket when 

 dressed, and sells in Canada for 3 or 4 ; and the 

 wool has in this country been manufactured into a 

 fine cloth. Pemmican is made of the flesh and fat 

 of the American Buffalo. 



" The Bison wanders constantly from place to 

 place, either from being disturbed by hunters, or in 

 quest of food. They are much attracted by the soft 

 tender grass, which springs up after a fire has spread 

 over the prairie. In winter, they scrape away the 

 snow with their feet, to reach the grass. The bulls 

 and cows live in separate herds for the greater part of 

 the year; but at all seasons one or two old bulls ge- 

 nerally accompany a large herd of cows. In the 



