118 NOTES AND ILLUSTRATIONS. 



made of it called firmaggio di cavallo, or horse cheese, but nevertheless very good. Its 

 flesh is not so good, but it is larger and stronger than the common ox. Buffon, vol. 6. 

 Smith's Sketch of a Tour, #c. vol. 2. The bos bubalus is an entire distinct species 

 from the American buffalo ; the period of its gestation is twelve months ; whereas that 

 of the American bison and domestic cow is nine. It will have no connexion with them ; 

 whereas they breed together. If the climate of this state is not sufficiently warm for 

 this useful animal, it will, no doubt, flourish in the southern states. 



The young of our buffalo, or bison, have been repeatedly put among the tame cattle 

 at Quebec, and, after exhibiting, on all occasions, symptoms of their original wildness, 

 have commonly died in a few years. It is supposed that the climate is there top cold 

 for them. This difficulty cannot exist here. Before the cultivation of the country they 

 were in immense herds in the western parts of the state, frequenting the salt licks, and 

 roving over the wide-spreading, luxuriant prairies of the Genessee, and they have given 

 their name to a celebrated stream which runs into Lake Erie near its outlet. It has been 

 domesticated in South Carolina, but appears to retain some of its primitive wildness. 



Van der Donk informs us that the buffalo was frequently found in the southern part of 

 New Netherland, and that there are some individuals who domesticate it for their amuse- 

 ment, and being accustomed from its youth to associate with man, it will become remark- 

 ably tame, and not readily return to the forest. The male does not depreciate by castra- 

 tion, nor do male or female degenerate by associating with tame cattle ; but, on the con- 

 trary, both are improved. It is believed that crossing the buffalo with the cow will pro- 

 duce a breed of increased value for the yoke, for the dairy, and for the market; the 

 buffalo, even in its wild state, being naturally strong, yielding excellent milk, and inclined 

 to fatten. 



He proceeds to state that there are deer, both bucks and does, of a pure white colour, 

 and that the Mohawk Indians have told him that very far in the heart of their country, 

 there existed large beasts of the form, and above the size, of a horse, whose hoofs were 

 divided, and whose forehead was ornamented with a single horn, of about the length of 

 twelve or eighteen inches, whose swiftness in running, and strength, were so great, that 

 they were taken with the greatest difficulty. " I have never," says he, " seen this ani- 

 mal ; but that it does exist I do not doubt for a moment ; for the Indians universally 

 affirm it, and the Christians declare they have seen, in the market, hides with but one 

 horn." 



If this account is not fabulous, this was probably the elk seen after he had shed his 

 horns, and when the young ones were sprouting; but if not, then a race of unknown 

 animals must have, in former times, existed in this state, which is now extinct. 



