1881. | Fitstory of the Buffalo. 119 
grooved rod of the ligula, that enlarges and diminishes the size 
of the sack lying behind it? It would seem that the bee has 
perfect control of this rod, that it is remarkably elastic, and 
capable of much extension and contraction. The rod and sack 
thus acting as a suction and force pump, as will be easily under- 
stood by one familiar with the parts. 
Of course I cannot say that the bee makes this use of it, but 
I do say it should, and if it does not, it is pure stupidity on its 
part. And if some one demonstrates that I am all wrong now, 
evolution, at no distant day, will set me right, for there will be 
born a bee, less conservative, that will dare defy old usages, and 
take a new departure ; that bee, trust me, will make use of this cun- 
ningly-devised apparatus, and produce honey cheaper than any 
competitor, excepting the glucose man, and I hope and trust may 
worry even him. 
:0: 
HISTORY OF THE BUFFALO. 
BY CAPT. WM. E. DOYLE. 
fies early adventurers to the new world gave quaint and often- 
times exaggerated descriptions of the novelties they encoun- 
tered, and the “ monarch of the plains” met with a due share of 
notice at their hands, as will be seen from the subjoined extracts 
from their narratives. 
The first account we have of the buffalo is given by the explorer 
Guzman, who saw herds of them in Cinaloa, New Spain (Mexico), 
in 1532. 
In 1539 Father Marco de Nica, in his expedition in search of 
the famed kingdom of Cibola, says that in the kingdom of 
Ahacus (now in New Mexico) “‘ they showed me a hide halfe as 
big againe as the hide of a great oxe, and told me that it was the 
skin of a beast which has but one horne upon his forehead, and 
that this horne bendeth towards his breast, and that out of the 
same goeth a point right forward, wherein he hath so great 
strength, that it will break anything how strong soever it may be, 
if he runhe against it, and that there are great store of these 
beasts in that countery. The colour of the hide is of the colour 
of a great goat skinne, and the haire is a finger thick.” 
While De Sota was remaining at the town of Chiaha (now 
Rome, Ga.) in 1540, he detached Villabos and Silvera—two fear- 
