72 THE INDUSTRIES OF ANIMALS. 



and beak. But he is often strangled, and when his 

 temerity does not receive this extreme punishment, 

 the feathers which fall from him when he flies away 

 bear witness that he has not emerged unscathed from 

 the scufHe. 



Animals like Buffaloes resist by a common defence 

 the most terrible Carnivora. Even the Tiger is their 

 victim, although if one of them met that wild beast 

 alone he would surely become its prey. Being very 

 agile, the tiger can reach by one leap the back of the 

 ruminant, whose brutal and massive force cannot thus 

 be exercised ; but the feline who falls into the midst 

 of a troop fares very badly. One buffalo falls on him 

 with lowered horns, and with a robust blow of the 

 head throws him into the air. The tiger cannot 

 regain his senses, for as soon as he reaches the 

 ground, and often even before, he is again seized 

 and thrown towards other horns. Thus thrown from 

 one to another like a ball, he is promptly put to 

 death. 



The less terrible Carnivora give Buffaloes no 

 trouble. Wolves do not dare to attack them when 

 they are united ; they await in ambush the passage 

 of some strayed calf, and rapidly gain possession of 

 it before the rest of the flock are aware, or they would 

 dearly pay for their attack. 



The Bisons of North America, near relatives of the 

 Buffaloes, also repulse Wolves in common ; and if 

 Man succeeds better against them it is owing to 

 the skill which he shows in hiding himself and not 

 attracting their attention. Every one knows how 

 Indians hunt the Bison with arrows, and his pursuit 

 is very risky to the hunter, for he must not be dis- 

 covered by the game, as he would then be trodden 



