85 



very gently towards the extremity where it is 

 broken off; so that thd horn itself could not 

 have been less than six feet in length : from the 

 middle suture on the head to the base of the 

 horn the measure is seven inches and a half j 

 consequently the two horns were 15 inches 

 distant, which must have been encreased when 

 they were partly covered with flesh, skin, and 

 hain 



Until the discovery of this bone in A merica, 

 the tradition of the Indians concerning the 

 GREAT Buffalo has been considered by 

 many as entitled to very little attention. Some 

 have interpreted it as having entire reference 

 to the animal we now call Mammoth, whose 

 pre-eminent size was so obvious, and whose 

 carnivorous teeth v/ere well calculated to ex- 

 cite terror ; but I have now no hesitation in 

 believing that this tradition of the Indians, 

 which, with such little variation, prevails 

 through all North America, mentioning the 

 ancient existence of a great Buffalo, is a tra- 

 dition really handed down to them from their 

 forefathers; hut^ like all others, clouded witii 

 fable : yet it is not improbable, since we find 



