252 THE BEST HEADS. 



The morose and savage disposition frequently ascribed to these solitary 

 animals is rather a traducement of them ; and though jungle-people are 

 occasionally killed by them, these mishaps arise rather through the circum- 

 stances under which the solitary bison is often met, than from any change 

 of disposition ascribable to his banishment from the circle of his companions. 

 In a herd of bison some individuals are generally standing up, and perceive 

 the approach of an intruder j but with a solitary bull it not unfrequently 

 happens that, whilst lying in long grass which hides him, a jungle-man in 

 search of honey or roots approaches his lair unawares. The bison perhaps 

 imagines that it is a sambur or other animal moving through the grass, and 

 does not rise till the man is nearly upon him, when he jumps up with a 

 suddenness of which such a huge beast would hardly be thought capable, and 

 seeing an intruder almost within horn's reach, rushes at him to dash him 

 from his path. I have not known any instance of an unwounded solitary 

 bison attacking man except under the above circumstances. A gentleman 

 was killed on the Pulney hills in 1874, but this was through incautiously 

 foUowing a wounded bison into thick cover. In the above case the beast 

 went on at once after killing his victim in his rush. Only in one case 

 that I know of has a wounded bison turned and gored his victim. I do 

 not even think the solitary bull is more dangerous when wounded and 

 followed up than a member of a herd. I have seen both die without resist- 

 ance, and both gave some trouble. 



The solitary bull invariably carries the best head, and is a more noble 

 object of pursuit than herd animals. After having shot a good many bison 

 I have latterly given up firing at herds altogether, in favour of old bulls. 

 In a herd it is always difficult to secure the leader, unless he is a very pro- 

 minent animal, and even then there are always so many wary cows that the 

 herd may be off before there is time to pick out the bull. It is only the 

 novice who cares to shoot herd - bison ; any one who has killed a fair 

 number must have the instincts of a butcher to continue the useless 

 slaughter of these fine beasts. The solitary buU is the noblest of his 

 race, and his pursuit can never, I imagine, paU on the most successful 

 hunter. 



