EXISTING KINDS OF WILD CATTLE 217 
If a cattle-breeder were asked to pronounce an 
opinion as to the more important differences by 
which the American is distinguished from the Old 
World or typical bison, he would probably commence 
by pointing out that the latter is a far better made 
animal than the former. And this would be a per- 
fectly true statement, for, as a matter of fact, the 
American bison, although well built and imposing 
enough as regards its head and fore-quarters, falls 
away lamentably behind, so that it has hind-quarters 
of a most inferior type. This sloping away of the 
hind-quarters is indeed the one weak point in the 
make of the American bison, which, were it not for 
this deficiency, would be a really magnificent animal ; 
whereas, owing to the disproportionately large head 
and shoulders, with their abundant coat of long hair, 
it has an ungainly and top-heavy appearance. In 
stature it is by no means the equal of its European 
cousin, the shoulder-height of a well-grown bull being 
about 5 feet 9 inches, while cows are considerably 
smaller. In colour the American species is much 
darker than the European, the coat being blackish 
brown, passing into black on the long hair of the 
head and fore-quarters. Characteristic features are 
to be found in the great mass of hair on the crown of 
the head and chin of adult bulls, as well as the 
heavy fringes on the upper half of the fore-legs. The 
shedding of the winter coat in large blanket-like 
masses is even more marked in the present than in 
the Old W^orld species ; and in summer the coat on 
the hind half of the body is quite short and devoid 
of curl. The horns are relatively short and sharply 
curved, and in old bulls — which are then known as 
" stub-horns " — generally become much worn down 
