CHAPTER XXIV. 



THE BISONS. 



THE BONASSUS OR EUROPEAN BISON — CALLED ALSO THE AUROCHS — THE REAL AUROCHS EXTINCT 

 — THE FOREST OF BTALOWICZ — DESCRIPTION OF THE BONASSUS — THE Bl ON OF THE CAU- 

 CASUS — THE AMERICAN BISON OR BUFFALO — ENORMOUS NUMBERS — TERRIBLE DESTRUCTION — 

 ESTIMATE OF NUMBERS KILLED — THE MOUNTAIN BUFFALO — DEATH OF A BCJLL. 



IF we are to believe the writings of ancient and mediaeval naturalists, 

 there were scattered over a great part of Europe two distinct kinds 

 of wild cattle. Pliny speaks of the Bonassus, which he says was dis- 

 tinguished by its rich mane ; and of the Urus, which was characterized by 

 its huge horns. Both these animals are repeatedly mentioned under the 

 names of "Bison" and "Aurochs" by a series of writers down to the 

 year 1669. Brehm considers we are justified in trusting these accounts 

 of the difference between the Aurochs and the Bison. The former is 

 now extinct. A painting of the first quarter of the sixteenth century 

 represents it as a rough-coated, maneless animal with a large head, thick 

 neck, thin dewlap, and long horns turned out forward and upward. 

 The coat of the creature was black. 



GENUS BISON. 



This genus comprises two species, one found in small numbers in 

 Europe, the other abounding on the prairies of North America. Its 

 generic characteristics are small round horns directed upward and for- 

 ward, a broad convex forehead, soft long hair, and a large number of ribs. 

 The European variety has fourteen, the American fifteen pairs of ribs. 



THE BONASSUS. 



The BONASSUS, Bison bonassus, is often called the Aurochs, more rarely 

 the Zubr. It is found only in the Russian province of Grodno, where it 

 is preserved by stringent laws in the forest of Bialowicz, a genuine 



