48-1 



VERTEBRATA. 



TUli A [HOCUS. 



young specimens were presented to the Zoological Society of London by the Emperor of Russia. 

 The history of their capture, as told in a letter from M. Dimitri to Sir R. Murchison, is interest- 

 ing, and is substantially as follows : 



"On the 20th July, 1840, at daybreak, three hundred and eighty huntsmen, armed with guns 

 simply charged with powder, placed themselves on the track of a herd of bisons which had been 

 discovered during the night. Having penetrated deep into the valley with the utmost precau- 

 tion, they suddenly came upon them. The creatures were reposing upon the side of a hill, rumi- 

 nating in security, while the young ones were frolicking around their dams, attacking one 

 another, and tearing up the earth with their hoofs, making the sand fly in whirls around them. 

 ( )ne moment they would go to the side of their mother, rub their heads caressingly upon her and 

 lick her sides; at another, they turned round to rejoin their comrades and share their frolics. 



"But at the first sound of the horn the scene changed in the twinkling of an eye; the whole 

 troop, as if struck by a magic wand, jumped to their feet, and seemed to concentrate all their 

 faculties to see and to hear what was going to take place. The calves pressed timidly against 

 their mothers, and when the baying of the hounds was heard, the old bisons ranged themselves in 

 the order they are accustomed to take on such occasions. Placing the calves in front, they 

 brought up the rear to save them from the pursuit of the dogs. On their arrival at the station 

 held by a portion of tlie huntsmen, they were received by piercing cries and the discharge of their 

 guns. Upon this they changed their order of defense; the old bulls threw themselves furious!) 

 upon the sides of the besieging party, broke their line of attack, and, victorious at this point, con- 

 tinued their furious course without stopping to chastise their enemies, who were concealed behind 

 tin largest trees. The huntsmen hail, however, succeeded in separating two calves from the herd. 

 One of them, three months old, was taken immediately; the other, a year older, made great re- 

 sistance. Although seized and held by eight men, he threw them over, and succeeded in escap 

 ing. They then set on the dogs, lie was soon driven into a swamp, dragged out, tied by the 

 legs, and carried to the keeper's lodge. 



" Four other calves, one male and three females, were taken in other parts of the forest. One v 

 of these females, which was only two or three days old, was at first suckled by a domestic COW, 

 which, contrary to the idea of some writers, took immediate care of the young foundling, and 

 showed a great affection and tenderness for her forest child. Unhappily, the young creature died 

 six days after, suffocated by some throat complaint, which it had when it was taken. 



