DOMESTIC ANIMALS 103 



Indians, for instance, never tamed the buffalo, and remained 

 savages. 



The ancestors of our domestic cattle are probably all ex- 

 tinct now. At the time of the Romans and even late into 

 the Middle Ages the Aurochs roamed through the forests of 

 Europe. Only one herd of a few hundred is now left in a 

 forest of Lithuania. Of the thousands of Bison which less 

 than fifty years ago roamed over our Western prairies only 

 a small herd of not more than fifty individuals survives in 

 the Yellowstone Park. Do you not think it is a shame 

 that these noble animals were so brutally slaughtered? 



Return to wild state. If tame cattle are left to themselves 

 in the woods or on the prairie, they soon turn wild again, 

 and, if the climate is not too severe, increase very rapidly. 

 Thousands of wild cattle, whose domesticated ancestors 

 were brought from Europe by the Spaniards, now roam over 

 the plains of South America. The ranch cattle of our 

 Western States and of Texas are half wild. You must read 

 an account of the wild South American cattle and also of 

 the ranch cattle in the United States. Sheep will not in- 

 crease if left to themselves. Can you tell why not? All 

 wild and half-wild cattle develop long horns and easily 

 defend themselves and their calves against wolves and other 

 beasts of prey. 



Food. The principal food of tame and wild cattle con- 

 sists of different kinds of grasses ; but tame cattle are very 

 fond of grain and also learn to relish various cultivated 

 herbs and roots. Deer, goats, and sheep are very fond of 

 browsing on the twigs of trees and shrubs ; cattle, on the 

 other hand, will browse but little if they have plenty of 

 good grass. (Compare the lesson on the grasses.) 



Teeth and stomach. What a difference there is between 

 the teeth of a cat and those of a sheep ! The teeth of a cow 

 are like those of a sheep, only much larger. The upper 



