210 THE OX. 



for four wolves, though packs of the latter animal will hunt 

 down a full-grown bull when alone.* 



Like all the Bovine race in a state of nature, they avoid 

 the dangerous approach of man. When suddenly come upon, 

 they rush upon the intruder with fury. When taken young, 

 they become used to their keepers, but resent the intrusion 

 of strangers, and seem incapable of resigning their natural 

 wildness, and submitting to domestication. They abhor the 

 domestic races, shunning them, or goring them to death. 

 Four young ones, captured in the forest of Bialowieza, af- 

 forded to M. Gilbert, who had long resided in Poland, op- 

 portunities of observing their habits. They refused to take 

 the milk of the cow, but at length submitted to be suckled by 

 a she-goat, raised on a table to the level of their muzzles. 

 When satisfied, they sometimes tossed the nurse and the 

 table to the distance of several feet. The two males died 

 within a month. The females survived : they became docile 

 and obedient to their keeper, licking his hands, rubbing his 

 body gently with their heads and muzzles, and coming to 

 him when they heard his voice. They hated the sight of 

 scarlet, and drove all the common cows from their pastures. 

 They came into season at the age of two years, and rejected 

 the approaches of the domestic bull. 



The forest in which these creatures are preserved, con- 

 tains about 352 geographical square miles, of which about 

 one-sixth part consists of rushy swamps, and is intersected 

 by numerous rivulets, and by one considerable river. The 

 number of Bisons consists, at present, of about 700 : they 

 are protected by the Government, and are only suffered to be 

 killed in small numbers, by especial permission. When the 

 wolves are to be hunted, it is done with caution, and by a 

 small number of dogs ; and any noisy occupations which 

 might disturb the animals, are prohibited within the forest.f 



* Weissenborn, Magazine of Natural History. f \Veissenborn. 



