584 On Bos Gaums. [No. 115. 



morning they retire to some thicket of long grass, or young bamboos, 

 where they lie down to ruminate. When disturbed the first that per- 

 ceives the intruder stamps loudly with its foot to alarm the rest, and 

 the whole rush through the forest, breaking down every obstacle, and 

 forcing their way with a terrific crash, 



dat euntibus ingens 



Silva locum, et magno ceduut virgulta fragore. 



iEn. vii. 676. 



When suddenly approached in the night, they start off with a loud 

 hissing snort. 



In 1831, I saw a young Bison calf in the possession of some Gowlees, 

 the owners of large herds of buffaloes in the Hangul talook. It was 

 caught when just dropt, in the month of May, and when I saw it, was 

 seven months old, very tame and gentle, though timid, licking the 

 hands of the Gowlees, and frisking about with the buffalo calves. It 

 was the same colour as the old animal, very dark brown with white 

 legs. The head small, the forehead wanting the breadth so remark- 

 able in the adult, and the bony ridge of the crown was hardly percep- 

 tible. The horns were just beginning to sprout, the ears larger and 

 rounder than those of the buffalo, the eyes a pale grey or cerulean colour. 

 The hair on the throat was long, and the dew-lap slightly indicated. 

 No hump was perceptible, but the dorsal ridge was distinctly marked. 



The Gowlees say, they see great numbers of Bison when pasturing 

 their herds in the neighbouring forest. They describe them as very 

 timid and watchful, more so than any other wild animal, always repos- 

 ing in a circle with their heads turned outside, ready to take alarm. 

 They add, that they see most calves from June to October, but the 

 greatest number about August. They do not know how long the cow 

 goes with calf, but suppose the period of gestation to be the same as 

 that of the buffalo, or ten months and ten days. The old male drives 

 the others from the herd at the breeding season, and the single ones 

 seen in the jungle are young males of this description, and it is proba- 

 ble the very old bulls are sometimes expelled also by younger and 

 stronger males." 



For the following particulars derived from the observation of the animal 

 in the Shervaroyah hills, 1 am indebted to Mr. Fischer, of Salem : " The 

 Bison ordinarily frequents the hills, seeking the highest and coolest 

 parts, but during the hottest weather, and when the hills are parched 



