The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1857-06-03
The European Bison.

The European Bison.
The European bison, which once abound
ed in the great forests of Europe, is fierce
and powerful creature. He formerly
abounded in the Hercynian and Sarma-
tian forests, and was regarded as the larg-
est of the quadrupeds indigenous to Eu-
rope. But, like many animal species, the
great bison of Europe seems doomed to
perish under a condition of countries that
is no longer suited to him. He merely.
fingers in portion of the vast regions of
forest which he once inhabited. He is
found in herds in the marshy forest of
Bialowieza, in Poland, where he is protect
cd by the government of Russia. II does
not wander beyond the woods where he yet
fingers, because it is probable the susten-
ancc which suits him is not to be found in
another habitat; and even in this retreat
he would probably cease to exist, were it
not for the care used in supplying him
with food during the SHOWS of winter.
Bisons are still found in considerable
herds in the woods of the Caucasus
According to the recent travels of Nord.
man, they exist in the greatest numbers
from the Kuban to the Psib. In some
places they inhabit the mountains in sum.
mer; in Others they are met with in swami
py places all the year round. They arc
killed by the natives, and their horns, form
ed into drinking cups, are used by the wild
chieftains of the country. A large kind
of bison is likewise found in British India
but whether it is identical with the bisons
of Western Asia and Europe, or distinct
termed gaur by the natives, and by some
naturalists Dos gaurus. 1t has been hith.
erto found in the thick jungles in the west
ern confines of the provinces of Bengal
and Bahar. 1t is often killed by British
sportsmen, but of the young none has yet
been captured. The villagers have
superstitious terror of these creatures and
cannot be persuaded to 60 in search of the
calves, believing that, if the gaurs are in
any way molested, they will attack the
persons disturbing them, and never quit
them till they have put them to death.
The European bison is large animal,
equalling in stature the tallest of the do
mestic oxen of the countries he inhabits.
His head is broad, and the forehead
bulging; the horns are round, thick, black,
and of hard consistence, and larger in
the male than in the female: the eye ia
small, and its usual character is placid !;
but when the animal is reused to anger,
the pupil narrows to slit, the coat be-
comes inaamed, and all tho expression in
dicates blind fury and madness. The
tongue is covered with tubercles, and,
together with the lips, gums, and palate.
is blue. The trunk and hinder parts of
the body are relatively slender, the shoul.
ders thick, and in the adult male the spines
are so heightened as to form withcrs. The
skin is exceedingly thick, and emits tho
odour OF musk. The trunk, down to the
knees, is covered with woolly hair, the top
of the head, neck and shoulder, with long
hair mixed with frizzled wool. forming a
name, and from the chine to the chest is
kind Of beard. The tail comes below
the hooks, and at its extremity is fur.
nished with brush of long bristly hairs.
The female has smaller horns than tho male
and less elevated withers. Though a
large animal, she has an udder smaller
than that Of the least of the domestic COVE.
These creatures are ferocious, strong.
and fearless of enemies. They hold their
heads low, are swift of foot, but are soon
worn out, seldom running farther than
one or two English miles. They swim
with facility, and delight to cool them.
selves in water. Their favorite places o!
resort are thickets, near the swampy banks
of rivers In the warmer season they
frequent shadowy spots; in winter they
keep quiet during the day, in the thicket:
of frs and pines, browsing only at night
and finding sustenance on the bark O
young trees. The thrusts of an old bul
will overturn trees of five or six inche
diameter. An old bull, we are informed
is match for four wolves, though pack
of the latter animal will hunt down
full-grown bull when alone.
Like all the Bovine race in a state O
nature, they avoid the dangerous approach
of man. When suddenly come upon
they rush upon the intruder with fury
When taken young, they become used I
their keepers, but resent the intrusion c
strangers, and seem incapable Of resign
. ing their natural wildness, and submit
ting to domestication. They abhor th
f, domestic races, stunning them, or gorin
y them to death. -Four young ones, captui
4 ed in the forest of BialowieSa, afforded I
{ NJ. Gilbert, who had long resided j
Poland, opportunities Of observing thei
. habits. They refused to take the milk {
b the COW, but at length submitted to |
II L. u IL IL