2oo THE BUFFALO, &c, 



the fame race with our oxen ; and the other, 

 which we have denominated, after Gmelin, the 

 Tartarian^ Grunting Co<w, appeared to be the 

 iame fpecies with the bifon. After comparing 

 this grunting cow with the bifon, I found an 

 exact coincidence in all the characters, except the 

 grunting, inftead of bellowing. But I appre- 

 hend, that this grunting is not conftant and ge- 

 nera], but contingent and particular, fimilar to 

 the deep interrupted voice of our bulls, which 

 is never fully exhibited but in the feafon of love. 

 Befides, I was informed, that the voice of the 

 bifon, whofe figure I have reprefented, was never 

 heard, and that, though coniiderably hurt, it did 

 not complain, which induced his mafter to think 

 that it was mute : And it is probable that its 

 voice would be developed by grunting or inter- 

 rupted founds, when in full poffeffion of free- 

 dom and in prefence of a female, the animal's 

 fpirits were excited by love. 



It is fingular, that the bifons, or bunched oxen, 

 whofe race appears to be extended, in the Old 

 Continent, from Madagafcar and the point of 

 Africa, and from the extremity of the Eaft In- 

 dies as far as Siberia, and that, in the New Con- 

 tinent, though they are found from the country 

 of the Ilionois to Louifiana, and even Mexico, 

 they fnould never have paffed the ifthmus of Pa- 

 nama ; for there are no bifons in any part of 

 South America, though the climate is perfectly 



agreeable 



