212 BUFFALO BEEF. 
flesh is of coarser texture than beef, more 
juicy, and the fat and lean better distributed. 
This meat is also very easy of digestion,* 
possessing even aperient qualities. The cir- 
cumstance that bulls of all ages, if fat, make 
good beef, is a further proof of the superiority 
of buffalo meat. ‘These are generally selected 
for consumption in the winter and early 
spring, when the cows, unless barren, are apt 
o be poor; but during most of the year, the 
latter are the fattest and tenderest meat. 
these, the udder is held as hardly second to 
the tongue in delicacy. But what the tail of 
the beaver is to the trapper, the tongue of the 
buffalo is to the hunter. Next to this are the 
‘marrow-bones, the tender-loins, and the 
hump-ribs. Instead ofa gristly substance, as 
sometimes stated, the hump is produced by 
a convex tier of vertical ribs, which project 
from the spine, forming a gradual curve over 
the shoulders: those of the middle being 
sometimes nearly two feet in length. The 
‘veal’ is rarely good, being generally poor, 
owing to the scanty supply of milk which 
their dams afford, and to their running so 
much from hunters and wolves. 
This animal furnishes almost the exclusive 
food of the prairie Indians, as well as cover- 
ing for their wigwams and most of their 
clothing ; also their bedding, ropes, bags for 
their meat, &c.; sinews for bow-strings, for 
sewing moccasins, leggins, and the like; be- 
«It has often been remarked by Soreliere, that however much 
buffalo meat one may eat, no incon ever suffered from it. 
St 
