76 STORIES OF BIRDS AND BEASTS 



who, in spite of her love of everything wild, was as 

 dainty as a white kid glove. 



" They had a practical reason : the mud dried into a 

 crust that kept the insects from driving them wild. 

 From doing this frequently, and turning round and 

 round as they wallowed and splashed, many of these 

 pools were shaped into sort of deep, round bath tubs, 

 as a potter shapes a clay vessel with his thumb. In 

 fact, Buffaloes were so fond of rolling to scratch them- 

 selves, that they also rolled head first in earth and sand, 

 as well as water, and in time their horns came, in this 

 way, to be worn and stubby. 'An English traveller, 

 early in this century, wrote that in Pennsylvania, before 

 the Buffaloes had learned to fear people, a man built a 

 log house near a salt spring where many Buffaloes came 

 to drink. The Buffaloes evidently thought the house 

 would make a delightful place to rub and scratch, for 

 history says they actually rubbed it down ! 



" Before they learned the dread of House People, 

 and the necessity of keeping constantly on the watch, 

 the Buffalo's life was much like that of the great 

 herds of domestic cattle that now range the same 

 prairie pastures. The calves frisked and played, the 

 herds had their times of rest, of plenty and of scarcity, 

 though the Buffalo was a difficult animal to starve, 

 and faced out blizzards before which the domestic 

 cattle would turn tail and perish. This was one 

 great reason why he should have been protected, 

 and this magnificent monarch kept in his kingdom 

 and developed to suit present need. The Buffalo 

 was able to withstand all the natural dangers, of cold* 

 hunger, and prowling Wolves, to which he was exposed, 



