THE BISON. 



205 



in the only direction left open to them, and which leads directly ro the 

 precipice. When the leaders arrive at the edge they attempt to recoil, 

 but they are so closely pressed upon by those behind them that they 

 are carried forward and forced into the gulf below. Many hundreds 

 of Bisons are thus destroyed in the space of a few minutes. 



The Bison is remarkably fond of wallowing in the mud, and when 

 he cannot find a mud-hole ready excavated sets busily to work to make 

 one for himself Choosing some wet and marshy spot, he flings him- 

 self down on his side, and whirls round and round until he wears 

 away the soil and forms a circular and rather shallow pit, into which 

 the water rapidly drains from the surrounding earth. He now redoubles 

 his efforts, and in a very short time succeeds in covering himself with 

 a thick coating of mud, which is probably of very great service in de- 

 fending him from the stings of the gnats and other noxious insects which 

 swarm in such localities. 



The Bison is a marvellously active animal, and displays powers of run- 

 ning and activity which would hardly be anticipated by one who had 



The Yak {Poephagus grunniens). 



seen merely a stuffed specimen. The body is so loaded with hair that 

 it appears to be of greater dimensions than is really the case, and seems 



18 



