326 UNGULATA. 



says: "The almost countless herds of these animals that 

 are sometimes met with on the prairies have only been 

 spoken of by other writers, and may yet be seen by any 

 traveler who will take the pains to visit those regions. 

 The rutting season, which is in August and September, is 

 the time when they congregate in such masses in some 

 places as literally to blacken the prairie for miles around. 

 It is no uncommon thing at this season to see at these 

 gatherings several thousands in a mass, eddying and reel- 

 ing about under the cloud of dust which is raised by the 

 bulls as they are pawing in the dirt, or engaged in des- 

 perate combats, lunging and butting at each other in the 

 most furious manner, as they constantly are. In these 

 scenes, the males are continually following the females, 

 and the whole mass are in constant motion; and all bellow- 

 ing is in deep and hollow sounds which mingled together 

 appear like the sound of distant thunder at a distance of 

 a mile or two. 



"During the season, while they are congregated to- 

 gether in these dense and confused masses, the remainder 

 of the country for many miles around becomes entirely 

 vacated, and a traveler will spend many a toilsome day, 

 and many a hungry night, without being cheered by the 

 sight of one buffalo. If he retraces his steps a few weeks 

 after however he will find them dispersed and equally 

 stocking the whole country and grazing quietly in little 

 families and flocks. 'A bull in his wallow' is a frequent 

 saying in this country, and it has a very significane mean- 

 ing for those who have ever seen a bull performing ablu- 

 tions, or endeavoring to cool his heated sides by tumbling 

 in a mud puddle. 



"In the heat of summer, these huge animals, who no 

 doubt suffer very much from the great profusion of their 

 long and shaggy hair, often graze on the low grounds of 

 the prairies, where there is a little stagnant water lying 

 amongst the grass, and the ground underneath being satur- 

 ated is soft. Into this the enormous bull, lowered down 

 upon one knee, will plunge his horns and at last his head, 

 digging up the earth and make an excavation in the 

 ground into which the water filters from among the grass, 

 forming for him in a few moments a cool and comfortable 

 bath, into which he plunges." 



