1GO 



BOVID.E. MAMMALIA. BOVID.B. 



to the habits of the bison, and says that they " wander 

 constantly from place to place, either from being dis- 

 turbed by hunters or in quest of food. They are 

 much attracted by the soft tender grass which springs 

 up after a fire has spread over the prairie. In winter 

 they scrape away the snow with their feet to reach 

 the grass. The bulls and cows live in separate herds 

 for the greatest part of the year, but at all seasons 

 one or two old bulls generally accompany a large 

 herd of cows. In the rutting season the males fight 

 against each other with great fury, and at that period 

 it is very dangerous to approach them. The bison is, 

 however, in general, a shy animal, and takes to flight 

 instantly on winding an enemy, which the acuteness of 

 its sense of smell enables it to do from a great distance. 

 They are less wary when they are assembled together 

 in numbers, and will then often blindly follow their 

 leaders, regardless of, or trampling down the hunters 

 posted in their way It is dangerous for the hunter to 

 show himself after having wounded one, for it will pur- 

 sue him , and although its gait may appear heavy and 

 awkward, it will have no difficulty in overtaking the 

 fleetest runner " Sir J. Richardson then proceeds to 

 mention the case of a Mr. M'Donald, who one evening 

 went out to look for game. " It had become nearly 

 dark when he fired at a bison-bull which was galloping 

 over a small eminence, and as he was hastening for- 

 ward to see if his shot had taken effect, the wounded 

 beast made a rush at him. He had the presence of 

 mind to seize the animal by the long hair on its fore- 

 head as it struck him on the side with its horn ; and 

 being a remarkably tall and powerful man, a struggle 

 ensued, which continued until his wrist was severely 

 sprained and his arm was rendered powerless. He then 

 fell, and after receiving two or three blows became 

 senseless. Shortly afterwards he was found by his 

 companions lying bathed in blood, being gored in seve- 

 ral places ; and the bison was couched beside him, 

 apparently waiting to renew the attack had he shown 

 any signs of life. Mr. M'Donald recovered from the 

 immediate effects of the injuries he received, but died 

 a few months afterwards." Of the various modes of 

 taking the American buffalo, none display the courage 

 and dexterity of the Indian so much as that of hunting 

 them on horseback. " An expert hunter," says Sir John 

 Franklin, " when well mounted, dashes at the herd, 

 and chooses an individual which he endeavours to 

 separate from the rest. If he succeeds, he contrives 

 to keep him apart by the proper management of his 

 horse, though going at full speed. Whenever he can 

 get sufficiently near for a ball to penetrate the beast's 

 hide he fires, and seldom fails of bringing down the 

 animal; though of course he cannot rest the piece 

 against the shoulder, nor take deliberate ami. On this 

 service the hunter is often exposed to considerable 

 danger from the fall of his horse in the numerous holes 

 which the badgers make in these plains, and also from 

 the rage of the buffalo, which, when closely pressed, 

 often turns suddenly, and rushing furiously on the 

 horse, frequently succeeds in wounding it or dis- 

 mounting the rider. Whenever the animal shows this 

 disposition, which the experienced hunter will readily 

 perceive, he immediately pulls up his horse and goes 



off in another direction." The most powerful adver- 

 sary of the buffalo is the great grisly bear, whose 

 strength is sufficient to crush the largest bull. A full- 

 grown male will weigh as much as two thousand 

 pounds, although an ordinary specimen comes con- 

 siderably below this amount. The body is about eight 

 and a half feet in length, from the tip of the muzzle to 

 the root of the tail. 



THE CAPE BUFFALO (Bubalus Coffer) is a native 

 of South Africa, where it is known by several other 

 names, such as the CAPE Ox, the BUFFEL, and the 

 BOKOLOKOLO, the latter title being that employed by 

 the Bechuanas. It occurs in large herds in the plains 

 and forests of the interior. It is an extremely heavy 

 and powerfully built species, a full-grown specimen 

 weighing as much as five and forty stone or upwards. 

 The body is, in some individuals, nearly nine feet in 

 length, exclusive of the tail, which is three feet long, 

 terminating in a tuft of coarse black hair, reaching 

 below the hocks. The fur exhibits a leaden-black 

 colour. The horns are massive ; very broad at the base, 

 where they are closely approximated ; and spreading 

 from thence, horizontally, are turned upwards and 

 inwards at the tips, which are separated from each other 

 by an interspace of about four feet. Respecting the 

 habits of the Cape buffalo, the early travellers, Thun- 

 berg and Sparrmann, give us some interesting data ; 

 and from their observations, and that of several later 

 writers, these animals appear to be most formidable 

 antagonists. Then- ferocity when wounded is perfectly 

 frightful. The herds are usually found grazing in the 

 immediate vicinity of some large wood; in numbers 

 varying from twenty or thirty up to at least five hun- 

 dred. Their behaviour, when fired upon, seems to 

 vary according to circumstances. Captain Harris 

 having fallen in with a herd, thus briefly describes 

 their conduct : " Creeping close upon them, I killed 

 a bull with a single ball ; but the confused echo rever- 

 berating among the mountains alarming the survivors, 

 about fifty in number, they dashed panic-stricken 

 from then- concealment, ignorant whence the sound 

 proceeded; and everything yielding to their giant 

 strength, I narrowly escaped being trampled under 

 foot in their progress." Mr. Andersson's account of an 

 encounter with these animals is very animated : " A 

 herd of buffaloes," he says, " at least two hundred in 

 number, suddenly rushed past us with the violence of 

 a tornado, breaking down and crashing everything that 

 opposed then- headlong career ; and raising so great a 

 cloud of dust as nearly to conceal their dark forms from 

 view. I fired into the midst of them at random, and 

 had the satisfaction to see a cow drop to the shot. 

 The report of the rifle brought the whole herd almost 

 immediately to a stand, and facing round, they con- 

 fronted us in one dark mass. Taking advantage of a 

 tree at some little distance ahead, I stalked to within 

 about one hundred and fifty paces of this formidable 

 phalanx. Resting the gun on a branch, I took a steady 

 ami at the leading bull ; but though I very distinctly 

 heard the bullet strike him, he did not flinch in the 

 slightest degree. One of the natives having by this 

 time mustered courage to steal up to me with my rifle, 

 I fired a second time, though at another of the herd, 



