116 PROCEEDINGS OF THE CANAPIAN INSTITUTE. 



immersed to the eyes in some lake or mud hole, and it is not an. 

 iiijcommon sight for the voyageur, who silently rounds some point 

 on the Liard, Salt or Peace River, to observe, protruding from the 

 water, the great black head of the biiffalo, who, gazing stupidly for 

 an instant, then suddenly bestirring himself, plunges to the shore 

 and disappears among the trees. They feed in the night, the only 

 time they are free from the torment of the gad flies. They seek 

 the thick swamps from preference, but distinguish and avoid the 

 treacherous bogs or munkegs, which are found in various parts of the 

 country. 



My informant thinks that they frequent the dense woods in sum- 

 mer, chiefly to escape the pei'secutions of the gad-flies ; for, when the 

 day chances to be so cold and windy that not a fly is to be seen, 

 they take advantage of the opportunity to climb about even the 

 high, rocky hills. 



The young are produced sometime in June, usually one, but 

 occasionally two at a birth. Concerning their color, development 

 and growth, I have not been able to procure reliable information. 



There is one other general observation that I would make in 

 connection with the bufialo. In a previous i)aper, I brought forward 

 reasons for believing that, within a very recent period, this piairie 

 country was one continvious forest, and that fire had been the clear- 

 ing agent. Where, then, it may be asked, were the Prairie Buffaloes • 

 in those forest days 1 I am inclined to think there were none, but 

 that the sole bovine inhabitant of the country was the Wood 

 Buffalo, and that the prairie animal is a recent specialization, which 

 conforms in its change of form and habits to several pi'ecedents, 

 wherein a wood animal has become smaller, lighter colored, and 

 gregai'ious, on betaking itself to a life in the open country. As 

 examples, I may cite the almost solitary giant Uie Ox of Caesar's 

 tiine, said to be the ancestor of our common cattle ; the Prairie 

 Wolf, doubtless very nearly akin to his larger brother of the timber ; 

 and the Barren Ground Caribou, which evidently was but recently 

 differentiated fronj its larger, darker, and less gregarious woodland 

 brother ! 



So far, I have not had an opportunity of examining the hide of 

 the Wood Buffalo, though I learn that they are not esteemed great 

 rarities, even among Fort Garry furs, yet, T hope that any reader 

 who may have the opportunity of measuring or describing this 



