52 
NATURAL HISTORY 
BISON, or WILD OX. 
The Bison, or Wiki Ox, is bred chiefly in 
the northern porta" of the world. It is as big 
ns a bull or ox, being maned about the neck 
and back like a lion. It is of such great 
strength that it can, if some writers may be 
believed, toss a horse and his rider. With 
its tongue, which is hard and rough, like a 
file, it can draw a man to itself, whom by 
licking, it can wound to death. Its hair is 
red, yellow, or black ; its eyes arc very lurge 
and fierce. It smells like a musk-cat. Its 
flesh is very fat in summer time. The blood 
is thought to be the purest in the world, ex- 
celling in colour any purple. 
