AND AMERICAN RURAL SPORTS. 
169 
AMERICAN BUFFALO OR BISON. 
BOS AM ERIC ANUS. 
[Plate XV. Vol. 2.] 
Bos Americanus: Gmei.. Taurus Mexicanus: Hernand. 
Mex. 587 . Tauri Vaccseque, Ibid. Anim.p. 10 . The 
Buffalo: Catesby, Carol. 28 tab. 20 . Boeuf Sauvage: 
Dupratz, Louisiane, u. 66. American Bull: Penn. 
Quad. pi. it. Jig. 2. 
From other species of the ox kind, the Bison is well 
distinguished by the following peculiarities. A long 
shaggy hair clothes the fore part of the body, forming a 
well marked beard beneath the lower jaw, and descending 
behind the knee in a tuft. This hair rises on the top of 
the head in a dense mass, nearly as high as the extremities 
of the horns. Over the forehead it is closely curled, and 
matted so thickly as to deaden the force of a rifle ball, 
which either rebounds, or lodges in the hair, merely caus- 
ing the animal to shake his head as he heavily bounds along. 
The head of the Bison is large and ponderous, compared 
with the size of the body; so that the muscles for its sup- 
port, necessarily of great size, give great thickness to the 
neck, and by their origin from the prolonged dorsal ver- 
tebral processes form the peculiar projection called the 
hump. This hump is of an oblong form, diminishing in 
height as it recedes, so as to give considerable obliquity to 
the line of the back. 
The eye of the Bison is small, black, and brilliant; the 
horns are black and very thick near the head, whence they 
curve upwards and outwards, rapidly tapering towards 
their points. The outline of the face is somewhat convex- 
ly curved, and the upper lip, on each side being papillous 
within, dilates and extends downwards, giving a very ob- 
lique appearance to the lateral gape of the mouth, in this 
particular resembling the ancient architectural bas-reliefs 
representing the heads of oxen. 
The physiognomy of the Bison is menacing and fero- 
cious, and no one can see this formidable animal in his 
native wilds, for the first time, without feeling inclined to 
attend immediately to his personal safety. The summer 
coat of the Bison differs from his winter dress, rather by 
difference of length than by other particulars. In sum- 
mer, from the shoulders backwards, the hinder parts of 
the animal are all covered with a very short fine hair, that 
is as smooth and as soft to the touch as velvet. The tail 
is quite short and tufted at the end, and its utility as a fly- 
brush is necessarily very limited. The colour of the hair 
is uniformly dun, hut the long hair on the anterior parts 
U u 
of the body is to a certain extent tinged with yellowish 
or rust colour. These animals, however, present so lit- 
tle variety in regard to colour, that the natives consider 
any remarkable difference from the common appearance 
as resulting from the immediate interference of the Great 
Spirit. 
Some varieties of colour have been observed, although 
the instances are rare. A Missouri trader informed the 
members of Long’s exploring party, that he had seen a 
greyish white Bison and a yearling calf, that was distin- 
guished by several white spots on the side, a star or blaze 
in the forehead, and white fore feet. Mr. J. Dougherty, an 
interpreter to the expedition, saw in an Indian hut a very 
well prepared Bison head with a star on the front. This 
was highly prized by the proprietor, who called it his 
great medicine, for, said he, “ the herds come every 
season to the vicinity to seek their white-faced compan- 
ion.” 
In appearance the Bison cow bears the same relation to 
the bull that is borne by the domestic cow to her mate. 
Her size is much smaller, and she has much less hair on 
the fore part of her body. The horns of the cow are much 
less than those of the bull, nor are they so much concealed 
by the hair. The cow is b}^ no means destitute of beard, 
but though she possesses this conspicuous appendage, it 
is quite short when compared with that of her com- 
panion. 
From July to the latter part of December the Bison cow 
continues fat. Their breeding season begins towards the 
latter part of July and continues until the beginning of 
September, and after this month the cows separate from 
the bulls in distinct herds and bring forth their calves in 
April. The calves rarely separate from the mother before 
they are one year old, and cows are frequently seen ac- 
companied by calves of three seasons. 
The flesh of the Bison is somewhat coarser in its fibre 
than that of the domestic ox, yet travellers are unanimous 
in considering it equally savoury as an article of food; we 
must, however, receive the opinions of travellers on this 
subject, with some allowance for their peculiar situations, 
being frequently at a distance from all other food, and 
having their relish improved by the best of all possible re- 
commendations in favour of the present viands — hunger. 
It is with reason, however, that the flesh is stated to be 
more agreeably sapid, as the grass upon which these ani- 
mals feed is short, firm and nutritious, being very different 
from the luxuriant and less saline grass produced on a more 
fertile soil. The fat of the Bison is said to be far sweeter 
and richer, and generally preferable to that of the common 
ox. The observations made in relation to the Bison’s 
flesh, when compared with the flegh of the domestic ox, 
