1893.] ON THE IIA>'C4E OF THE EUHOPEAN BISOK. IT") 



2, On the present Range of the European Bison in tlie 

 Caucasus. By Dr. G. Radde, C.M.Z.S. 



[Eeceived January 2, 1803.] 



I have just i-eceived correct information as to the range of tlie 

 European Bison (Bos hoim^ns) in the Caucasus. This animal is at 

 present confined to the district around tlie sources of the Laba and 

 Bjellaja on the north side of the Caucasus, and extends east- 

 wai'ds from the former locaUty to the s})rings of the Selentschiilc. 

 The Bison is scarce everywhere, and generally seen in twos and 

 threes ; only once have the tracks of seven together been noticed, 

 though occasionally as many as five have been observed. Evidently 

 the Bison has discontinued its settled habits, and has taken to wan- 

 dering about in this, its last refuge. Through the ever increasing 

 encroachments of the settlers, and the consequent dispersal of the 

 wild animals, and also, in many places, owing to the new supervision 

 of tlie forests, the Bison is driven more and more tov\ards the 

 higher ridges of the mountains, and wanders about in the thick 

 forests which border the lower portion of the alpine pastui'ages. 



These forests in the lower lying districts are chiefiy composed 

 of Curpinus hetulvs and Fa'jiis, above which stand lofty Abies 

 norJnianniana and A. oricntalls ; the pine is less plentiful. 



The most likely places to find this animal are at present near 

 the sources of the Little Laba, and especially on its western con- 

 fluent, the Uruschtem. This river is joined by a small stream, 

 the Alans, in the valley of which the Bison is often met with. 

 It is found from TCtOO to 8000 feet above the sea-level. Formerly, 

 30 or 40 years ago, it was met with much lower down, about 5000 

 feet, and it Avas also more common. That the Bison has now 

 passed over the mountain-range and is wandering southwards is 

 pretty certain. There was an instance of this in 1874 : in that 

 vear an example was killed not far from Bomanowskoje, about a 

 dav's journey from Sotschi (on the coast); the skin of this aninud 

 was sold in Kutais. 



Just as the Bison is preserved in the forests of the Government 

 of (Trodno\ so it is luider Imperial protection in the Caucasus : 

 the Grand-Duke Michael Nikolajawitsch gave the necessarv 

 orders in 1860. Nevertheless it is very difficult to keep guard 

 over these last remaining animals satisfactorily. The whole dis- 

 trict in which this animal occurs, and where, in the high moun- 

 tains, the Chamois and C'cijira caucasica abound, has been for 

 several 3'ears rented by the young Grand-Dukes George and 

 Sergius Michaelowitsch : it comprises an area of -J 77,300 des- 

 jatines''. Jii the Stani/a of Psebai lives I Icrr Noska, who performs 

 the functions of Jlearl-keeper. But the task of watcliing for 



' SccP.Z. S. 1848. 1-. in. 



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