THE DOMESTICATED BUFFALO. 



113 



cows, the issue of that mixture, propagated like all others." 

 " The favourite food of the buffalo is Tripsacum dacty- 

 loides (buffalo grass) and an undescribed species of clover 

 nearly allied to Trifolium rep ens, and designated by 

 Barton as Trifolium bisonicum. According to the state- 

 ment of Gomara, there was still living in the north-west 

 of Mexico, in latitude 40 °, an Indian tribe whose prin- 

 cipal riches consisted in herds of tame bisons or buffalo. 

 But notwithstanding the possibility of taming the bison, 

 notwithstanding the quantity of milk it yields, and not- 

 withstanding the herds of lamas in the Cordilleras of 

 Peru, no pastoral life or pastoral people were found when 

 America w T as discovered, and there is no historical evi- 

 dence of this intermediate stage in the life of nations 

 ever having existed there." 



In a description of domesticated herds of buffalo, and 

 the results of crossing with the common cow, from the 

 Patent Office Eeports, it is stated that the mixed breeds 

 are of various colours ; striped with black on a grey 

 ground, like the zebra ; some others brindled red ; some 

 pure red, with white faces : and others red, without any 

 markings of white. The mixed bloods have not only 

 produced from the tame and buffalo bull, but it is known 

 that the half-bloods reproduce, viz. those that were the 

 product of the common cow and wild buffalo bull. At 

 the first settlement of the country, cows that were con- 

 sidered the best for milking were the half-blood down to 

 the quarter, and even eighth, of the buffalo blood. But 

 the writer's experiments have not satisfied him that the 

 half buffalo bull will produce again. That the half-breed 

 heifer will be productive from either race, he has tested 

 beyond the possibility of doubt. 



" The domesticated buffalo retains the same haughty 

 bearing that distinguishes him in his natural state. He 



VOL. II. I 



