AV THE FAR ll'h'S'f. \r>$ 



are sturdy protectors, and carefully guard them from all foes. 

 Calves run with their mothers until the latter are ready to 

 increase the bovine population again, and after that they look 

 out for themselves. When the females are about to become 

 mothers they retire from the herd singly, and secrete them- 

 selves in some refuge where the young may be protected from 

 wolves and other foes until they are able to run about ; and 

 when that time comes they rejoin the males, and the united 

 company stroll over many long miles together. 



When a herd is feeding, the cows and calves are in the 

 centre, and the old bulls occupy the outer spaces, as if they 

 intended to make an abatis of their horns to repel all adver- 

 saries. How effective a protection this abatis is the wolves, 

 which constantly attend the herds in large numbers to see if 

 they can pick up a calf or a wounded adult, know too well, for 

 they never attempt to force it ; and that the buffaloes consider 

 it impregnable is evident by the contempt with which they 

 treat their hungry attendants, and the closeness to which they 

 will allow them to approach before they attempt to send them 

 scampering away by a mere threat or a vigorous charge. 

 Even a hungry grizzly has learned how dangerous it is, and 

 has given its life as a forfeit for its ignorance and presump- 

 tion. I heard an old hunter in Dakota relate how a male 

 grizzly once attacked a herd in his presence, and got so much 

 the worst of it that he was glad to crawl away with broken 

 ribs and protruding viscera, only to deliver up his ghost to a 

 ride bullet. 



The huge bear commenced operations by boldly advancing 

 towards a small herd of cows which was protected only by 

 five or six bulls, the remainder of the stern sex being assembled 

 in bachelor parties by themselves in other portions of the plain. 

 As he approached the herd the males closed up together, to 

 make a protecting screen for those under their charge, and 

 lowered their sharp-pointed horns almost to the ground. The 

 grizzly halted to gaze at the reception prepared for him, and 

 alter sniffing the air, and gazing for a few moments, he con- 

 cluded that lie had little to fear, and advanced boldly to the 

 assault. Before he reached the herd the most daring of the 



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