T H E C O W. IS 



is diftind in their produdion ; but they have a certain mark of one 

 common ftock j they breed among each other, and confequently form 

 one kind, notwithftanding the extreme bulk of the urus, or the 

 hump on the back of the bifon ; their breed is fruitful, and among 

 their defcendants, the hump belonging to the bifon is foon worn 

 away. 



The Urus, or wild bull, inhabits chiefly the province of Lithuania ; 

 and grows to a fize fcarce equalled, except by the elephant j is quite 

 black, except a ftripe mixed with white, that runs from the neck to 

 the tail, along the top of the back ; the horns are fliort, thick and 

 ftrong ; the eyes fierce and fiery ; on the forehead is a kind of garland 

 of black curled hair, and fome have beards of the fame ; the neck is 

 lliort and ftrong, and the (kin has an odour of mufk. The female, 

 though lefs than the male, exceeds the iargeftofour bulls; neverthelefs, 

 her udder and teats are (o fmall, that they can fcarcely be perceived. 

 Upon the whole, however, this animal refemblcs the tame one. Ge/ner, 

 in his Icon. Jnim. 34, fays he faw a horn, he fuppofed, of an urus, hung 

 in the Strafburg cathedral, which was fix feet long. 



The Bison differs in having a lump between its fhoulders. Thefe 

 animals are fom.e very large, others diminutively little. This creature, 

 in front, has fomewhat the look of a lion, a long ftiaggy mane, a beard 

 under his chin j his head little, his eyes red and fiery, with a furious 

 look ; his forehead large, and horns fo big, and fo far afunder, that 

 three men might often fit between them. On the middle of the back 

 grows a bunch almoft as high as that of a camel, covered with hair, 

 and which is confidered as a great delicacy by the hunters. There is 

 no purfuing him with fafety, except in forefts where are trees large 

 enough to hide the men. He is generally taken by pitfals ; the 

 hunters dig holes in the ground, and covering them with boughs of 

 trees and grafs, provoke the bifon to purfue them : they get on the 

 oppofice fide of the pitfall, while the furious animal, running head 

 foremoft, falls into the pit, and is quickly overcome. 



The breed of the urus, or thofe without a hump, chiefly occupies 

 the cold and temperate zones ; the breed of the bifon, or thofe with 

 a hump, the Ibuthern parts of the world ; throughout India, and 

 throughout Africa, from Mount Atlas to the Cape of Good Hope. In 

 thefe countries, the bifon feems to prevail j where they have fmooth, 

 foft hair, are very nimble of foot, and in fome meafure fupply the 

 "Want of horfes. The bifon breed is expert and docile j many of them 



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