THE AMERICAN BISON. S 



THE AMERICAN BISON, 



IN THE MENAGERY, ROYAL MEWS, LONDON. 



The Bison and the ox are but two particular races of the same species, although an essential differ- 

 ence exists between the two, not only in the hump or wen which the former carries on its shoulder, 

 but also in the quality, the quantity, and the length of its hair. The Bison is a native of various 

 parts of the world, and in the interior regions of North America it is found in immense herds feeding 

 on the open Savannahs, morning and evening, and retiring during the sultry parts of the day to 

 repose near shady rivulets and streams of water. It was formerly believed that the Bison 

 inhabited the north of Europe ; and, according to Gesner, it was once the inhabitant of Scotland, 

 but certainly not within the memory of the present generation. The Bison of Madagascar, — which 

 appears to be of a larger species than the American Bison, — was exported from that island to the Isle 

 of France, and the climate was found to agree exceedingly well with the constitution and habits of the 

 animal; it is however remarkable, that after a few generations the hump on the back gradually 

 dwindles away, but still all the other characteristics of the animal appear not to suffer the slightest 

 alteration . 



There is, perhaps, nothing more striking or interesting in the study of Natural History, than the 

 establishment of the distinct territorial boundaries which are affixed to different races of animals, 

 beyond which they never transgress, appearing as it were to be confined to that particular region by 

 some mysterious power inexplicable to the capacity of man ; and it is generally found, that, should an 

 infraction of that boundary ever take place by an isolated individual, as in the instance of the 

 accidental migration of the whale to the southern latitudes, it generally falls a victim to some enemy, 

 against the attack of which nature has not provided it the means of defence ; or the very food on 

 which it is obliged to subsist, not being congenial to its constitution, turns out ultimately to be the 

 cause of its death. The Bison offers a striking verification of the above remark, for, although it be 

 found in herds from the Illinois to the southern coasts of America, it has never yet been known to pass 

 the countries which form the isthmus of Panama ; it is, in fact, a total stranger to southern America, 

 although the climate of that country appears to be highly congenial to its nature, as is evinced by 

 the extraordinary multiplication of the European ox. 



The principal characteristics of the Bison are short rounded horns, pointing outwards, although 

 some of them have their horns depressed, whilst others have them raised in such a manner that they 

 are used as weapons of annoyance or defence. The enormous bushy mane, with which its head is 

 surrounded, partakes more of the nature of wool than hair, hanging down in separate tufts like an 

 old fleece ; but, in the American Bison, this wool is thicker and longer than in the Bison of the 

 ancient continent. In the examination of the construction of this animal, we discover that it partakes 

 something of the nature of the lion, particularly in its narrow hinder parts when compared with the 

 thickness and strength of the fore parts, — in fact, its whole frame appears to fit it more for a state of 

 war with mankind, than a state of servitude. The strength of the Bison is indeed so amazingly great 

 that when they fly through the woods from a pursuer, they frequently brush down trees as thick as a 

 man's arm, and although the snow may be very deep, such are their strength and agility, that they are 

 able to plunge through it much faster than the swiftest Indian can run in snow shoes. " To this," 



