240 AUDurox the naturalist. 



montli of August, in a cart heavily laden, he 

 passed through herds of bujffalo for six days in 

 succession. At another time he saw the gTeat 

 prairie near Fort Clark on the Missouri river, 

 almost blackened by these animals, which cov- 

 ered the plain to the hills that bounded the 

 view in all directions, and probably extended 

 farther. 



When the bisons first see a person, whether 

 white or red, they trot or canter off forty or fifty 

 yards, and then stop suddenly, turn their heads 

 and gaze on their foe for a few moments, then 

 take a course and go off at full speed until out 

 of sight, and beyond the scent of man. 



Although large, heavy, and comparatively 

 clumsy, the bison is at times brisk and frolick- 

 some, and these huge animals often play and 

 gambol about, kicking their heels in the air with 

 surprising agility, and throwing their hinder 

 parts to the right and left alternately, or from 

 one side to the other, their heels the while flying 

 about and their tails whisking in the air. They 

 are very impatient in the fly and mosquito sea- 

 son, and are often seen kicking and running 

 against the wind to rid themselves of these tor- 

 mentors. 



The different Indian tribes hunt the buffalo in 

 various ways : some pursue them on horseback 

 and shoot them with arrows, which they point 



