BUFFALO. 
63 
stock, but as large as the ordinary cattle of the country. The crossed or 
half blood are larger than either the Buffalo or common cow. The hump, 
brisket, ribs and tongue of the full and half blooded are preferable to those 
ot the common beef, but the round and other parts are much inferioi ■ The 
udder or bag of the Buffalo is smallei'than that of the common cow, but I 
have allowed the calves of both to run with their dams upon the same pas- 
ture, and those of the Buffalo were always the fattest ; and old hunters have 
told me, that when a young Buffalo calf is taken, it requires the milk of two 
common cows to raise it. Of this I have no doubt, haAmig received the 
same information from hunters of the greatest veracity. The bag oi ud- 
der of the half breed is larger than that of full blooded animals, and they 
would, I have no doubt, make good milkers. 
“ The wool of the wild Buffalo grows on their descendants when domesti- 
cated, but I think they have less of wool than their progenitors. The do- 
mesticated Buffalo still retains the grunt of the wild animal, and is incapa- 
ble of making any other noise, and they still observe the habit of having 
select places within their feeding grounds to wallow in. 
“ The Buffalo has a much deeper shoulder than the tame ox, but is light- 
er behind. He walks more actively than the latter, and I think has more 
strength than a common ox of the same weight. I have broke them to the 
yoke, and found them capable of making excellent oxen ; and for draw- 
ing wagons, carts, or other heavily laden vehicles on long journeys, they 
would, I think, be greatly preferable to the common ox. I have as yet 
had no opportunity of testing the longevity of the Buffalo, as all mine that 
have died, did so from accident or were killed because they became aged. 
1 have some cows that are nearly twenty years old, that are healthy and 
vigorous, and one of them has now a sucking calf. 
“ The young Buffalo calf is of a sandy red or rufous colour, and com- 
mences changing to a dark brown at about six months old, which last, colour 
it always retains. The mixed breeds are of various colours ; I have had 
them striped with black, on a gray ground like the zebra, some of them 
brindled red, some pure red with white faces, and others red without any 
markings of white. The mixed bloods have not only produced in my stock 
from the tame and the Buffalo bull, but I have seen the half bloods repro- 
ducing ; viz. : those that were the product of the common cow and wild 
Buffalo bull. I was informed that at the first settlement of the country, 
cows that were considered the best for milking, were from the half blood, 
down to the quarter, and even eighth of the Buffalo blood. But my experi- 
ments have not satisfied me that the half Buffalo bull will produce 
again. That the half breed heifer will be productive from either race, as 
I have before stated, I have tested beyond the possibility of a doubt. 
