Species of Bovine Animals. 



6363 



ania does not attain to half the weight mentioned ; though so late as 

 1752 one is stated to have weighed 1,450 fbs. 



The Caucasian bison {B. caucasicus ?). This animal is little known. 

 It is supposed to be distinct from the Lithuanian zubr ; has a black 

 dorsal stripe, which is not seen in the latter, and differently-shaped 

 hoofs. There is also a slight difference in the horns. According to 

 Professor Nordman, who was employed in 1836 on a scientific mission 

 in the Caucasus, (where he was often obliged to make his excursious 

 under the protection of a strong military escort, and a few field-pieces), 

 " this animal, though no longer occurring near the high road from 

 Tamar to Teflis, &c, is not very scarce in the interior of Caucasia. 

 Herds are still found in a few districts by the river Kuban ; and the 

 animal is met with on Mount Caucasus from the Kuban to the sources 

 of the Psih, a distance of about 115 English geographical miles. Near 

 the Kaban it is met with, in swampy places, all the year round. In 

 the country of the Abazechians (Abchasians ?) it repairs to the moun- 

 tains in summer, and is then frequently killed by the Psoehs and other 

 Caucasian tribes. Late in autumn it descends from the mountains to 

 visit the pastures in valleys never yet trodden by the feet of any Euro- 

 pean, except prisoners of war. It is particularly numerous in the 

 district of Zaadan. Lieut. Lissowski, who studied at Wilna, and 

 possesses a thorough knowledge of the zubr of Lithuania, assured me 

 at Bambori, that the latter animal was not very different from that of 

 Caucasia." — {Vide Weissenborn, in Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. vol. ii. 

 pp. 254 and 291). It is very desirable that this Caucasian bison 

 should be properly compared with that of Lithuania. Professor Nils- 

 son assumes their identity, as a matter of course, from known facts 

 connected with their former extensive distribution of the European 

 bison ; but until positive and careful comparison, we cannot regard 

 the question as settled, however may lie the probability. 



A kind of bison or zubr (more probably than the great taurine 

 " urus," or some animal akin to it), is mentioned in the ' Travels in 

 Tartary ' of the old traveller Bell, as existing in his time in the country 

 of the Tzulimm Tartars. — Vide 'Journey from Tomsky to Elimsky,' 

 vol. i. ch. iii. p. 224). " On the hills and in the woods near this place," 

 he remarks, " are many sorts of wild beasts, particularly the urus, or 

 uhr-ox, one of the fiercest animals the world produces. Their force 

 is such, that neither the wolf, bear nor tiger dares to engage with them. 

 In the same woods is found another species of oxen called " bubul " 

 by the Tartars. It is not so large as the urus ; its body and limbs 

 are very handsome ; it has a high shoulder and flowing tail, with long 



